Department for Transport

Volkswagen

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will take steps to prevent insurance companies increasing premiums for owners of Volkswagen vehicles affected by the emissions scandal.

Andrew Jones: Motor insurers base their decision on whether to insure drivers and their vehicles, along with what premium to charge, by making an assessment of the risk involved. However, vehicle emissions are not regarded by insurers as a material factor they would normally take into consideration when setting a premium.

Driving: Licensing

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to require the DVLA immediately to (a) suspend the driving licences of people suspected to have drug-related seizures and (b) require such people to undergo medical tests before their suspension can be lifted.

Andrew Jones: The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to revoke a driving licence after appropriate medical investigations have been carried out. In cases where a drug related seizure has been confirmed after medical investigations, the DVLA is able to immediately revoke a licence for a minimum of six months. The licence will only be restored when it has been confirmed that the driver has been free from drug misuse or dependence for an appropriate period. It will normally be necessary for independent medical assessment, including appropriate tests and consultant reports, to be carried out before the driving licence is restored.

Aviation: Egypt

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the (a) Egyptian Ambassador and (b) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on resuming flights to Sharm El Sheikh.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government is working closely with the Egyptian authorities with a view to a resumption of flights as soon as possible. Ministers are keeping the position under close review. There have also been regular contacts between the Government and the Egyptian Ambassador to the UK to discuss the situation.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been provided to local highways authorities for local road maintenance in (a) England and (b) West Sussex in the current financial year.

Andrew Jones: The Department is providing councils in England, outside London, with just under £6 billion between now and 2021 for highways maintenance. Details of the funding per financial year per authority in England can be seen at the following weblink:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocations-201516-to-202021For West Sussex we are providing £13.7 million this financial year.

Railways: Franchises

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in what circumstances his Department can terminate the (a) Southern, (b) Thameslink and (c) GTR contracts early.

Claire Perry: Whilst Southern and Thameslink are used as operating names by the franchisee, they are in fact part of the GTR franchise, which operates the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) Franchise.Schedule 10.2 of the TSGN Franchise Agreement (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488198/tsgn-franchise-agreement.pdf p.506) specifies how this franchise can be terminated by the Department.

Southern

Nusrat Ghani: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by how much revenue accruing to Southern Rail has increased owing to higher passenger numbers in each of the five most recent years for which data is available.

Claire Perry: The published statutory accounts for Southern Railway Limited show the following Revenue figures for the period from 2010 to 2014. 2015 data is not yet available:Year to 28th June 2014: £755mYear to 29th June 2013:£705mYear to 30th June 2012: £665mYear to 2nd July 2011:£611mYear to 3rd July 2010:£444m (part year – franchise commenced 20th September 2009)These figures include passenger fares revenue, and income arising from third party rentals and subleases, and infrastructure access. Revenue increases include both price rises and increases in passenger numbers, however the latter is not separately identifiable.

Rail North

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when meetings have taken place between the Rail North board and his Department in the last six months; and what the subject of those meetings was.

Andrew Jones: On 21st December 2015, a meeting took place between Rail North Ltd Directors and the Department at which the two Project Directors presented the outcome of the Northern and TransPennine Express franchise competitions.

Electric Vehicles: Licensing

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on an exemption from the European Commission on the Directive 2006/125/EC on driving licences to enable electric vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to be driven on a B licence.

Andrew Jones: The UK has not sought an exemption from Directive 2006/126/EC to enable electric vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to be driven on a Category B licence. Any driver that holds a full category B licence issued before 1 January 1997 has a “grandfather right” to drive vehicles in category C1 – not for hire and reward. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Railways: North of England

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail routes are planned to be designated driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

Andrew Jones: This is an operational matter for the new franchisee to discuss with its staff and their trade union representatives after they have taken over the franchise on 1st April.

Rail North

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether meetings of Rail North will be held in public.

Andrew Jones: Whether Rail North holds its meetings in public is a matter for that organisation.

Railways: North of England

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what involvement Rail North will have in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

Andrew Jones: Rail North will not have a role in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

Tugboats: Scottish Islands

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received about the future of the emergency towing vessels in the Northern Isles; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I have received a number of representations from those in Scotland with an interest in the future provision of an Emergency Towing Vessel operating from the Northern Isles.The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is hosting a meeting in Edinburgh on 10 February to consultwith interested parties on the need and scope of putting alternative towing arrangements in place beyond 31 March 2016.

Driving: Licensing

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23014, what assessment he has made of the disbenefits to drivers resident in Northern Ireland of not being able to use the online facility to change the address on their driving licence; and if he will take steps to extend this facility to Northern Ireland.

Andrew Jones: No assessment has been made. Driver licensing in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. The provision of online driver licensing systems for motorists in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland.

Railways: Tickets

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that rail commuters have greater access to the cheapest available tickets (a) on the day they travel and (b) when booking in advance; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: We recognise the pressure on hardworking families and have put a stop to increases in regulated fares until 2020, extending the cap on rail fares which we regulate introduced in 2014. This will save the average season ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and means average earnings are outstripping rail fare increases for the first time in a decade. We are also taking a number of steps that will make it easier for people to obtain the best value ticket for their journey. We have committed to introducing more flexible tickets for people who work or commute part-time, which could enable customers to buy discounted advance carnet-style tickets. Arriva Trains Wales and Great Northern already offer flexible products and both GTR and c2c have commitments to introduce more flexible tickets on their smartcards.The evidence also shows that advance fares, which can offer good value for people who are able to book in advance, are a key rail success of recent years where we have seen huge growth. Unregulated advance tickets have increased from 8% of revenue in 2007/08 to 15% of revenue in 2014/15.In December 2014, I challenged the rail industry to improve the information they provide through ticket vending machines. The industry has responded positively with a code of practice on retail information published in March 2015. Most train operators now have actions underway and complete, including providing new messages on screens and improved availability of off-peak tickets through vending machines. The Department continues to monitor progress closely in this area.

Merchant Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the rate of compliance on routes from (a) Hull and (b) in the North Sea with lower sulphur dioxide emission limit for merchant vessels which came into force on 1 January 2015.

Mr Robert Goodwill: There are no figures for 2015.However, since 1 January 2016 the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has inspected 34 ships within the North Sea Sulphur Emission Control for compliance with the lower 0.1 per cent sulphur limit. Eleven of these ships had fuel samples taken and analysed, and one ship was found to be marginally non-compliant.The one ship that was inspected and had its fuel sampled at the port of Hull was found to be within the limit.

Merchant Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of lower sulphur dioxide emission limits for merchant vessels in force from 1 January 2015 on (a) seafarer employment and (b) passenger and freight services (i) from Hull and (ii) in the North Sea.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The fall in oil prices means that the cost to the industry of complying with the 0.1 per cent sulphur limit is much lower than predicted. For the time being, these environmental rules do not appear to pose any significant obstacle to growth and employment to ships operating in the North Sea.

Traffic Lights: Telford

Lucy Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to reduce the number of traffic lights at roundabouts in Telford.

Andrew Jones: Provision of traffic lights is the responsibility of the local traffic authority, in this case Telford and Wrekin Council. It is for them to decide if lights are required at junctions on their network, taking into account local circumstances such as accident records, traffic flows and road layout. The Department does not intervene in local matters such as this.The Department recommends local authorities regularly review sites to ensure the use of signal control is still appropriate, revising timings as needed and removing signals where possible.

Shipping: Training

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the recommendations for increasing the training and employment of UK seafarers in the Maritime Futures report by Professor Helen Sampson of Cardiff University, published in January 2015.

Mr Robert Goodwill: A number of recommendations made within the Maritime Futures report were put forward in the call for evidence for the Department’s Maritime Growth Study and the Department has taken forward a number of those.The Department provides support for the training of officers and ratings through the £15m Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme. A company or group which elects for the Tonnage Tax is required, each year, to recruit one new officer trainee for every fifteen officer posts in its fleet. Following a proposal from the UK Chamber of Shipping, RMT and Nautilus to allow companies to recruit and train three able seafarer ratings in place of one trainee officer, a pilot to allow ratings to be counted against the training commitment started on 1st October 2015.Apprenticeships are at the heart of the Government’s drive to give people of all ages the skills employers need to grow and compete. Maritime is a key part of this with the Maritime Trailblazer which is employer led and has one approved standard for deck ratings and a further three in development for maritime mechanic, maritime caterer and onboard services.The UK government’s position on island cabotage remains unchanged but this is kept under constant review. At present those providing such services remain significant employers of UK seafarers.UK seafarers working for UK companies on a UK flagged vessel are not entitled to an exemption to national insurance payments. They may, however, benefit from the Seafarers Earning Reductions tax relief for income tax.An ‘in personum’ approach to the application of national minimum wage is preferred as it ensures that those who are entitled to it will benefit. International law prevents the UK from interfering in the ‘internal market’ of a vessel, this includes wages, and is applicable to those vessels visiting or operating out of UK ports. HMRC is responsible for NMW enforcement and the government takes non-compliance of the legislation very seriously.The Carter Report was commissioned under a previous administration and was already considered at the time of the drafting of the Equality Act 2011 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) 2012 regulations.The Maritime Growth Study, chaired by Lord Mountevans, was published on 7 September 2015 and contained a number of recommendations for government and industry on skills, including to help maintain the UK’s future supply of seafarers. The Government formally respond to the Study in December 2015 accepting all the recommendations.

Shipping: Equality

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the working group conducting the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 was set up; and how many times that group has met.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Working Group conducting the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 was created in June 2014 and has met three times.

Shipping: Minimum Wage

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the working group conducting the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 will make recommendations on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage for seafarers employed on (a) UK and (b) non-UK registered vessels.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Although the working group had considered looking at National Minimum Wage (NMW) enforcement it was quickly recognised by all members of the group that due to international law this is a very complex area and that it would be more beneficial to discuss in a separate forum. It has been agreed in principle to convene a cross government and social partners working group to look at the application of national minimum wage in regard to seafarers. As the Department responsible for NMW legislation, this would be led by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).The working group has reviewed the existing guidance produced by BIS for seafarers and it is expected that revised guidance, taking into account recommendations of the group, will be published in Spring 2016. The Nautilus Telegraph will also publicise the revised guidance. This is a respected publication produced by the officer’s union Nautilus International but widely read by all seafarer ranks.I also understand from officials at RMT that they have recently had positive discussions with my Right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State for Skills and Equalities on the application of NMW to seafarers.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Government Finance

Mr David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the local government finance settlement will be subject to a needs-led review.

Mr Marcus Jones: The consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement for 2016-17 closed on 15 January. We are considering carefully all the responses and other representations made and will present final proposals soon to enable local authorities to set their budgets for 2016-17.At the outset of the current system of business rates retention in 2013-14, we said there would be periodic reviews to take account of changes to needs and resources. As part of the move towards 100% business rates retention by the end of this Parliament, we will work with local government on the approach to implementing these reforms, including on the treatment of needs and resources, and will consult on proposed changes.

Right to Buy Scheme

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the findings of his Department's right to buy pilots; what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of providing discounts to tenants eligible for that scheme nationwide and the number of council homes which will need to be sold in the course of that scheme; and what recent assessment he has made of the ability of housing associations to provide a like-for-like replacement for homes sold in the area local to those homes.

Brandon Lewis: As set out in the voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation, tenants of housing associations will be eligible for the equivalent discounts that are available under the Right to Buy (up to £77,900 and £103,900 within London). The Government has been clear that the sale of high value vacant council housing will pay for the cost of compensating housing associations for the discount, so the Right to Buy will be cost neutral. Ahead of full implementation, we have launched the Right to Buy pilot with 5 housing associations.Overall there will be an ongoing evaluation of the Right to Buy pilot with the pilot informing the design of the full scheme.We are engaging with local authorities and are in the process of updating data that will be used to help inform the high value threshold. Every home sold under the voluntary Right to Buy will result in a new additional home being built nationally.

Right to Buy Scheme: Housing Associations

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of housing association tenants who will become eligible for the right to buy by January 2017.

Brandon Lewis: As stated by my rt. hon. Friend, the Prime Minister in his speech of the 7 October, the voluntary agreement between the sector and Government will make Right to Buy equivalent discounts available to 1.3 million housing association tenants.

Right to Buy Scheme

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of his Department's right to buy pilots.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the rt. hon. member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 January, HCWS476, which sets out the Department’s intention to fund administration costs.The Statement can be viewed at:http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-01-19/HCWS476/

Council Tax

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to reduce the council tax referendum level from 2 per cent to take account of his policy on the social care precept; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: My rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark) set out his proposed Council Tax Referendum principles for 2016-17 alongside the provisional local government finance settlement on 17 December 2015 [Official Report, Column 1722]. The full proposals are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/council-tax-in-2016-to-2017. Final referendum principles for 2016-17 will be laid before the House for approval in due course.

Holiday Accommodation: Greater London

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many times he has used his powers under Section 25B (5) of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973 to give local planning authorities powers to exempt certain areas from the provisions of Section 25A of that Act without the need for them to request his consent; and which local planning authorities he has so exempted.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many requests has he received from local planning authorities to exempt particular properties or areas in their boroughs from the provisions of Section 25A of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973 on the short-term use of London accommodation; which local planning authorities have made such requests; and how many such requests has he refused.

Brandon Lewis: My rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government(Greg Clark) has received one request from a local planning authority to exempt particular properties or areas under section 25A of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973. The request was made by Westminster City Council, and is currently under consideration by Ministers. The Secretary of State has not used his powers under Section 25B (5) of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973.

Housing: Construction

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will meet with house builders to discuss increasing the provision of two-bedroom end bungalows in the housing market so that retirees can downsize from larger two-storey residential housing.

Brandon Lewis: I meet with housebuilders regularly and have had many meetings on the provision of older peoples' housing. This Government is committed to provide older people with choice over the housing that best meets their needs.We have clear planning policy to support older peoples' housing, and we strengthened guidance last year to reinforce our expectations – including to get local authorities to recognise the benefits of supporting applications to build homes for people wishing to downsize.We are clear that local councils and mainstream housing providers need to increase the quality, choice and provision of housing for older people. We hope this will enable many older people who wish to move to available properties that suit their needs to do so, while freeing up family sized homes.

Families: Disadvantaged

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the progress made by the Troubled Families initiative in the Peterborough City Council area since 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Housing: Newham

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many units of housing he expects to be built in the London borough of Newham in each year to 2020.

Brandon Lewis: The Department does not publish forecasts of house building. It is for local planning authorities to ensure that they plan for the full, objectively assessed housing needs in their area.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Burma: Political Prisoners

Mr David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will request the government of Burma to release former monk U Gambira from custody.

Mr Hugo Swire: We are aware of the arrest of U Gambira, a well known political activist and former political prisoner, on 19 January, for alleged immigration offences. Our Embassy in Rangoon is following the case closely. The UK regularly raises our concern over political prisoners with the government of Burma, both publicly and privately. Most recently our Embassy in Rangoon issued a statement on 25 January calling for the government of Burma to ensure that all remaining political prisoners are released. We remain concerned that some 78 remain incarcerated, and will continue to raise this with the Burmese authorities.

North Korea: Nuclear Power

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information the Government holds on whether blueprints of (a) UK Magnox reactor designs and (b) URENCO uranium enrichment plant designs have been used by North Korea to manufacture plutonium and highly enriched uranium as fissile materials for use in its nuclear warhead programme.

Mr Hugo Swire: We remain deeply concerned by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) development of a nuclear programme. We do not know whether the DPRK, in the development of its reactor, drew upon UK Magnox reactor designs which were made public in the 1950s and 60s. While the DPRK has made frequent public statements regarding its nuclear capabilities and WMD development, it provides little substantive information on the precise nature of those capabilities. UN Security Council Resolutions prohibit the provision of technical training, advice, services or assistance related to the manufacture of the DPRK’s nuclear-related programmes; the UK strongly supports international efforts to uphold this provision to prevent the proliferation of WMD.

Yemen: Human Rights

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22275, what assessment his Department made of the risk that items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law as defined in the Export Control Act 2002 and the EU Common position when making the decision to grant licences for the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application including International Humanitarian Law. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Languages

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials of his Department and at which grades are classified speakers of foreign languages for each such language spoken.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Records from the last 5 years (up to the end of 2015) show that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has 505 officers with an Operational level (C1) exam pass across 33 different languages. This figure comprises 94 Senior Management Staff officers and 411 officers from the delegated grades.

North Korea: Humanitarian Aid

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has formulated plans to assist a mass humanitarian emergency response if instability were to occur in North Korea.

Mr Hugo Swire: All humanitarian crises are assessed on a case by case basis, along with any potential role for UK intervention.

North Korea: Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will increase funding for human rights projects in North Korea.

Mr Hugo Swire: We currently deliver a range of projects in the DPRK through our bilateral project fund, many of which are intended to deliver improvements in human rights. We will be assessing future projects on human rights for the next year under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy where we will consider the practicalities and implications of delivering human rights projects in DPRK and how to improve the appalling human rights situation. We will continue to support humanitarian work aimed at alleviating the plight of the most vulnerable in DPRK's society.

North Korea: Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK has identified any people or ministries responsible for human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Mr Hugo Swire: We have strongly supported the work of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The UN Commission of Inquiry documents serious human rights violations committed by the state in the DPRK and we have urged the DPRK authorities to respond in detail to the contents of the report. The report, which can be found at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/CoIDPRK/Pages/CommissionInquiryonHRinDPRK.aspx, includes details of human rights violations committed by officials from a number of state institutions and ministries. There must be no impunity for those accused of serious human rights violations.

Iran: Sanctions

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much funding from UK sources is estimated to become available to Iran following the signing of the nuclear deal and sanctions relief.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We expect that approximately £525 million of Iranian assets in the UK have been unfrozen following Implementation Day of the nuclear deal on 16 January, when the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had taken all the necessary steps to trigger the lifting of nuclear-related financial and economic sanctions against Iran.

Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise with the EU the issue of (a) the dismissal by the General Court of the EU of first listing challenges brought by individuals on the EU's targeted human rights sanctions list and (b) imposing such sanctions on North Korea's suspected human rights violations.

Mr Hugo Swire: We welcome the EU General Court’s dismissal of challenges brought by individuals listed for violating human rights in Iran. The human rights situation in Iran remains a matter of serious concern. We are also deeply concerned by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) appalling human rights record. We will continue to consider a broad range of policy options whenever we discuss the DPRK with other EU member states. The EU already has autonomous measures against the DPRK in place which complement and enforce UN sanctions, targeting the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Any new measures or sanctions regime introduced at the EU level must clearly improve the human rights situation. They must also satisfy our ability to defend the legality of the decision.

Papua New Guinea: Conflict Resolution

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has provided for post-conflict resolution in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville.

Mr Hugo Swire: Through our support to the United Nations Development Programme, we continue to provide funding for peace-building and post-conflict socio-economic recovery in Bougainville and more widely in Papua New Guinea. Earlier this month, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office invited a delegation of senior Bougainvillian leaders to London, Belfast and Edinburgh to share the United Kingdom’s experience of the Northern Ireland peace process and the Scottish referendum. The visit included a valuable discussion with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on these issues.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support an independent inquiry into alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen by the UN Human Rights Council.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he holds on the specific role and responsibilities of the UN Special Advisor on Genocide; whether he holds any information on the work undertaken by the Special Advisor in relation to the genocide being perpetrated against Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he has about the individual who currently holds the position of UN Special Advisor on Genocide; what recent representations to that individual about the killings by Daesh of Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq; and what plans he has to meet the Special Advisor to discuss the crisis in those countries.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received on the interpretation and implementation of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide in relation to the killings by Daesh of Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq; what response he has made to such representations; what steps he is taking to establish an international consensus on that issue; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Adama Dieng was appointed UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide on 17 July 2012. His role is to: raise awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide; to alert relevant actors where there is a risk of genocide; and to advocate and mobilise for appropriate action. The Office of the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect has made a number of statements in relation to the situation in Iraq and Syria. These statements can be found on the UN website, and cover a range of issues including: incitement to violence in Syria on religious grounds; expressing concern about the on-going threat to the safety of minority groups in Syria; and expressing alarm at reports of the abduction of 1,500 Yezidi, Christian and Shabak women and girls.Any judgement on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. Our approach is to seek an end to all violations, and to prevent their further escalation, irrespective of whether these violations fit the definition of specific international crimes.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral Answer of 12 January 2016, Official Report, column 697, on how many occasions the Government has used personnel who are present as a quick check when a report has been received of a potential breach of international humanitarian law in Yemen.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of who is responsible for reported airstrikes that have (a) targeted and (b) hit as collateral damage (i) cultural heritage monuments, (ii) ancient heritage sites and (iii) museums in Yemen.

Mr Philip Hammond: We remain concerned about the damage to cultural property in Yemen during the current conflict in Yemen. We do not routinely make assessments of responsibility for damage to cultural property in Yemen. Yemen and many members of the Saudi-led coalition are parties to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict and to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. We have raised our concerns regarding protection of cultural property with both the government of Yemen and the Saudi Arabian government. A political solution is the best way to achieve long-term stability in Yemen and we remain fully and actively supportive of the UN’s efforts to bring an end to the conflict.

Diplomatic Immunity

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government has requested the sending state to (a) waive, (b) suspend and (c) remove the rights to diplomatic immunity of an individual diplomat to the UK since 2010.

Mr Philip Hammond: Under Article 32 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a diplomat’s immunity may only be waived by the sending State. The VCDR does not refer to immunity being suspended, nor removed. Full statistics and details about requests for waivers of immunity for the period specified are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Such requests would cover instances where a diplomat was the alleged offender; the alleged victim of a crime; where a diplomat has witnessed a crime and police have sought a witness statement; or where police have sought witness statements from diplomats in relation to unconnected investigations. However, statistics for waivers requested in respect of serious and significant offences allegedly committed by individuals with some form of diplomatic or consular immunity are recorded centrally for the period covering 2010-2014. In total, 14 such requests were made during this period.

Middle East: Minority Groups

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he holds on the number of Iraqi and Syrian Christians and other religious minorities who have been murdered or displaced from their homes by Daesh in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to provide practical assistance and asylum opportunities to persecuted Christians seeking to flee that region.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We do not hold figures for the numbers of minorities who have been murdered or displaced by Daesh. The situation is desperate for many communities within Syria and Iraq. We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians, Mandeans, Yezidis, and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria who continue to bear the brunt of Daesh’s brutality.The persecution of Christians, and individuals of all faiths, anywhere in the world, is of profound concern to us. The freedom to practice, change or share your faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a fundamental human right that all people should enjoy.The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) announced that the existing Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) scheme would be expanded to resettle 20,000 refugees during this Parliament. The Syrian VPR scheme is based on need and does not discriminate on religious grounds. As many Christians are likely to be particularly vulnerable it is highly likely that some will qualify under the scheme’s criteria.Ultimately, the only way to protect Christians and other religious minorities from Daesh is by defeating this terrible organisation, which in turn requires, amongst other things, ending the conflict in Syria. The Prime Minister set out the UK’s comprehensive strategy for defeating Daesh and finding a political settlement to the Syria conflict in his response the Foreign Affairs Committee on 26 November 2015.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Students: Burnley

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 18005, how many of the students in Burnley qualified for maintenance grants in academic year 2013-14.

Joseph Johnson: Numbers of applicants awarded Maintenance Grants by Parliamentary Constituency in the academic year 2013/14 were provided in my reply to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde, to question UIN 7227.

Students: Southwark

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students from the London Borough of Southwark are in receipt of student maintenance grants.

Joseph Johnson: Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded Maintenance Grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspxData provided by the SLC indicates that there were 5,980 applicants from the London Borough of Southwark awarded Maintenance Grants in the academic year 2014/15.An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.

Students: Warrington North

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students from Warrington North constituency are in receipt of maintenance grants while pursuing a course in higher education.

Joseph Johnson: Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded Maintenance Grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspxData provided by the SLC indicates that there were 760 applicants from Warrington North Parliamentary Constituency awarded Maintenance Grants in the academic year 2014/15. An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.

Energy: Industry

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps fully to implement the Energy Intensive Industry Compensation package.

Anna Soubry: On 14 December, the EU Commission approved our first state aid case - to commence relief from the indirect costs of the Renewables Obligation and small-scale Feed-in-Tariff . Eligible companies are now able to apply for compensation. Scheme guidance and application forms were published on 19 January 2016 and details can be found on the GOV.UK website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewables-obligation-and-small-scale-feed-in-tariffs-apply-for-compensation. We continue to be in dialogue with the EU Commission on the second element of our State Aid Application to compensate competitors of eligible Electricity Intensive Industries (EII) to ensure they do not face competitive distortions. Compensation paid under the EII scheme is in addition to the £148 million of support the Government has already given to EIIs to mitigate the impact of climate policy.

Tata Steel: Wales

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received from the Welsh Government in the last week on the announcement of job losses in South Wales by Tata Steel.

Anna Soubry: In the light of this announcement, we have been discussing with the Welsh Government how we can work together to ensure a sustainable and successful future for the steel industry in Wales. Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills attended the first meeting of the Port Talbot Taskforce on 20th January, which was convened by the Welsh Government to develop plans to limit the impact of the job losses and support the industry further. The Welsh Government also wrote to my Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 19th January.

UK Coal: Loans

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will place in the Library a copy of the loan agreement that was reached with UK Coal in relation to the closure of Thoresby Colliery.

Anna Soubry: The loan agreement is a private document between UK Coal Production Limited and other UK Coal companies and The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. It covers both UK Coal Thoresby Limited and also UK Coal Kellingley Limited, the latter of which is still trading.The loan document is classified as Confidential Information and permission is required from UK Coal to release the loan document to third parties. We have sought permission from UK Coal and after due consideration the UK Coal board of directors have declined consent to release the loan document.

Apprentices: Taxation

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with (a) public sector employers, (b) private sector employers and (c) UnionLearn on the implications of the Apprenticeship Levy on staff training budgets.

Nick Boles: Ensuring that the apprenticeships levy works for all employers is a key priority for BIS. As such, we are engaging with both public and private sector employers, representatives from Unionlearn, and wider Government Departments on how the levy will operate and how they will build apprenticeships into their workforce training plans. We will be continuing engagement over coming months.

Minimum Wage: Compensation

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on cases in which workers do not receive compensation awarded by an employment tribunal because the companies which were paying them less than the national minimum wage have moved into voluntary liquidation.

Nick Boles: The Government is committed to the effective enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and will take tough action where employers are found to have underpaid their staff. BIS Ministers regularly discuss issues of enforcement with colleagues in other relevant Departments to ensure the system is effective.Ensuring employees get the money they are owed is a priority. Where employees are owed monies but their employer has gone in to liquidation, they are entitled to claim for the difference between their rate of pay and the NMW, through the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payments Service (RPS). The RPS will consider these claims and make payments, within certain statutory limits, to employees.The Government has also taken action to strengthen the enforcement powers available for NMW breaches, including ensuring that every criminal breach of the NMW Act is considered for Director Disqualification.

Green Investment Bank: Privatisation

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23237, if he will place in the Library a list of the recent representations he has received on the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank.

Anna Soubry: The Government does not intend to place a list of the recent representations received on the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank in the Library.

Sunday Trading

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations he has consulted on the changes to Sunday trading in the 12 months.

Anna Soubry: The Government ran a public consultation, which closed in September 2015, on its proposals to devolve the power to extend Sunday trading powers to local areas. The Department also met with a range of interested parties including trade unions, religious groups, retailers and retail bodies, and representatives of local authorities. The Government plans to publish its response to the consultation shortly.

Wales Office

Tata Steel: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Work and Pensions and Energy and Climate Change and with the Chancellor of the Exchequer since the announcement of job losses this week by Tata Steel.

Stephen Crabb: I have had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills about the steel industry in Wales. We are committed to doing everything we can to level the playing field for the UK Steel industry. We are actively engaged with the Welsh Government and our officials are working together to support individuals affected by last week's announcement, as a matter of priority.

Department for Education

Holocaust Educational Trust

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department plans to allocate to support the Holocaust Educational Trust's Lessons from Auschwitz Project.

Nick Gibb: Every young person should be taught about the Holocaust and the lessons it teaches us today. In recognition of its significance, the Holocaust is compulsory within the national curriculum.For the past ten years the Department for Education has funded the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project which has taken more than 28,000 students to visit the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp.The Department will continue to promote, support and fund the teaching of the Holocaust.

Department for Education: Data Protection

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on how many occasions in each of the last two calendar years her Department has been notified by outside consultants or other third parties of breaches by employees or subcontractors of those consultants of document retention or security policies relating to confidential or secure materials.

Nick Gibb: The Department was notified by a third party of a breach of document retention or security policy relating to confidential or secure materials on two occasions during 2014.No other notifications were received during the period.

Young People: Vocational Guidance

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the £70 million funding towards careers in this Parliament, announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016, will be spent in each of the next four years.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the funding announced on 11 January 2016 by the Prime Minister for careers in this Parliament include the £20 million funding announced for the Careers Service in December 2014.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the funding for careers in this Parliament, announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016, will be allocated to the (a) Careers and Enterprise Company and (b) Government's new initiative to recruit high-flying mentors; and to where any other monies from that funding will be allocated.

Mr Sam Gyimah: On 11 January 2016, my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister announced that we are committing £70 million to our careers strategy over this Parliament to continue the transformation of the quality of the careers education, advice and guidance offered to young people. This is on top of the £20 million in 2015-16 announced for careers in the 2014 Autumn Statement.This £70 million will be spent over the next four years to 2020. We have not yet finalised how much will be spent each year or how it will be allocated but can confirm that there will be continued funding for the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to continue its excellent work. We anticipate that this will include funding to support the Enterprise Adviser Network, the Careers and Enterprise Fund, the Enterprise Passport, the CEC’s research programme and its wider activity to bring schools, colleges, business, and careers and enterprise organisations closer together, and to deliver the new mentoring campaign announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016. We will make further announcements in due course.

Schools: Performance Standards

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department used to identify the 312 schools that had been classified as having fallen beneath the floor target in the school performance tables in England for 2014 to 2015, published in January 2016.

Nick Gibb: In 2014/15, 312 schools were below the 5+ A*-C including English and mathematics and expected progress floor standard. Schools were deemed to be below the floor standard if:Fewer than 40% of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A*-C or equivalent, including both English and mathematics; andThe school had a below median score for the percentage of pupils making expected progress between key stage 2 and key stage 4 in English; andThe school had a below median score for the percentage of pupils making expected progress between key stage 2 and key stage 4 in mathematics.From 2016 Progress 8 will replace the existing 5 A*-C headline measure. Progress 8 will show pupils’ progress to a suite of 8 qualifications compared to other pupils with the same starting point at the end of key stage 2. The new measure will reward better teaching of all pupils and make the system of measuring performance fairer for schools.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page nine of her Department's response to the Education Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2014-15, Life Lessons: PSHE and SRE in schools, published in July 2015, CM 9121, when her Department plans to report back to the Committee on its full consideration of the arguments made by the Committee on introducing PSHE and SRE as statutory subjects in primary and secondary schools.

Edward Timpson: The Government wants all young people to leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. High quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) teaching has an important role to play in providing young people with a ‘curriculum for life’, which equips them with the skills and understanding they need to manage their lives, to succeed and to stay safe.We have committed to improving the quality of PSHE and intend to make significant progress on this issue during this Parliament. The Department for Education is currently working with headteachers and other experts to identify how we can improve the quality of PSHE for every pupil.

Vocational Guidance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her contribution of 25 January 2016, Official Report, column 12, what funding streams and programmes made up the £70 million which the Government is spending on careers advice in the current Parliament.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The £70 million announced by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016 is to continue to transform the quality of the careers education, advice and guidance offered to young people. We have not yet finalised how much will be spent each year or the allocation process. It will include funding for The Careers & Enterprise Company to continue the excellent work it has begun, including delivery of the new mentoring campaign also announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January.Further information about our priorities for careers education advice and guidance in this Parliament will be set out in our new careers strategy to be published in the spring

Schools: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school-aged children in each London borough attended a maintained school outside their borough of residency on 1 January of each year from 2010 to 2016.

Nick Gibb: The number of pupils in each London borough attending a school outside their borough of residency can be found in the cross border movement tables which can be found as part of the ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics’ statistics[1]. Data for 2016 has not been collected yet but is expected to be available in June 2016.[1] 2015 data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2015 - click on ‘Cross-border movement Local Authority Tables’2014 data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014 - click on ‘Cross-border movement Local Authority Tables’2013 data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2013 - click on ‘Cross-border movement Local Authority Tables’2012 data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2012 - click on ‘Additional Tables 1’2011 data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2011 - click on ‘Additional Tables 1’2010 data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2010 - click on ‘Additional Tables 3’

Schools: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average distance between home and school was for school-aged children in (a) London and (b) each London borough on 1 January in each year from 2010 to 2016.

Nick Gibb: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Justice

Oakwood Prison: Civil Disorder

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22284, how many members of (a) the National Tactical Response Group and (b) Tornado Teams have been injured during a callout at HM Prison Oakwood in each of the last three years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: There have been zero injuries to members of (a) the National Tactical Response Group and (b) Tornado Teams during a callout at HM Prison Oakwood in each of the last three years.

Prison Service: Redundancy Pay

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers who have received severance or redundancy packages since May 2010 have subsequently been re-employed (a) as a prison officer or (b) in another capacity by his Department.

Andrew Selous: It has not been possible to answer this question within the time available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Prison Service: Dismissal

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison staff have been dismissed in each year since 2010; what the reasons were for each such dismissal; and how many prison staff have received custodial sentences for crimes committed while working in prisons since 2010.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Information on the number of staff dismissed from public sector Prison Service Establishments, broken down by reason for dismissal, in each year since 2009/10 is contained in the table below. Information on dismissals is published in the NOMS Workforce Bulletin by financial year and to maintain consistency with that information the figures provided in the table are a further breakdown of the published numbers.Data on the number of custodial sentences for crimes committed while working in prisons is not available because information held centrally relates to the internal disciplinary process which may include those staff that have been dismissed for being in receipt of a criminal conviction, but the centrally held data would not show those staff who had also received a custodial sentence.Staff Dismissed From Public Sector Prison Service Establishments 2009/10 to September 2015ConductMedical InefficiencyPoor PerformanceUnsatisfactory AttendanceBreach of Contract and OthersTotal2009/101202102020~3802010/111402102030~4002011/121102901020~4302012/131202701020~4202013/14110310~10~4402014/15804301020~550Apr-Sep 2015402201010~280

Prison Sentences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of (a) white and (b) non-white people convicted of a crime were sentenced to immediate custody for each category of offence in each of the last five years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The proportion of persons sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences, can be calculated through table 5.20, part of chapter 5: defendants tables of the Race and the Criminal Justice System: 2014 which can be located at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/race-and-the-criminal-justice-system-2014

Tribunals: Scotland

Kirsty Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance HM Courts and Tribunals Service use on data protection breaches with regard to non-devolved tribunals in Scotland.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) follows Ministry of Justice and Cabinet Office guidelines for the delivery of data protection training and aims to meet these requirments each year. HMCTS staff are mandated to complete annual Information Assurance training, which includes actions to take in respect of a data protection breach/data incident.Copies of the Data Protection Statement, use of personal data under the Data Protection Act, Information on protecting information, and managers toolkit will be deposited in the House library.

Prisoners: Higher Education

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support he is providing to the Inside Out programme run by Durham University.

Mr Shailesh Vara: We want prisons to be places of hard work, rigorous education and high ambition, with incentives for prisoners to learn and for prison staff to prioritise education and work.The Inside Out programme run by Durham University in selected north east prisons during 2014-15 is an excellent example of an innovative local partnership, aimed at higher level prisoner learners.The National Offender Management Service supported the programme through re-prioritising prison staff resources to make sure the learning could take place.

Judiciary: Harassment

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many judges or magistrates have reported receiving threatening correspondence related to hearings they have presided over in the last five years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: There are more than around 20,000 judges and magistrates in England and Wales. The number judges or magistrates who have reported receiving threatening correspondence related to hearings is as follows:YearNumber of Judges or Magistrates201120201212201319201418201531We have a robust security and safety system in place to protect all court users. Any threats to judges or magistrates are taken extremely seriously and within Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, there is a security team to co-ordinate effective judicial security and incident investigation, working closely with senior judiciary and police agencies to provide the necessary support.

Bill of Rights: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications of the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections and dissolution of the Scottish Parliament on the consultation period in respect of the Government's proposed repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 and replacement by a British Bill of Rights.

Dominic Raab: We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.We will adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods. We have already sought views and will continue to engage with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom.

Bill of Rights: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what consultation he has had with the Scottish Parliament on the consultation period on the repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 and its replacement with a British Bill of Rights.

Dominic Raab: We have already sought views and will continue to engage with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

Probation: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of probation service delivery across the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Our probation reforms are designed to make sure almost all offenders will receive support on release including, for the first time, those sentenced to less than 12 months. These reforms will help to reduce reoffending, cut crime and improve public safety.We hold Community Rehabilitation Companies to account for their performance and seek continuous improvement. We have identified some areas of strength and some areas for improvement. Staffordshire and West Midlands Community Rehabilitation Company have reassured us that they are making the necessary improvements and we are closely monitoring progress.

Prime Minister

House of Lords: Reform

Justin Madders: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9202, what steps he has taken to reduce the number of peers.

Mr David Cameron: The Leader of the House of Lords has convened cross-party talks to consider the best way forward in addressing the size of the House. Those talks are ongoing.

Ministry of Defence

Military Bases

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2015 to Question 17676, how many nights bed and breakfast has been utilised at (a) MOD Crickhowell, (b) MOD Fairbourne, (c) MOD Grantown-on-Spey and (d) MOD Llanrwst in each of the last five years; and what the cost of that provision was in each case.

Mr Julian Brazier: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 07 December 2015.The correct answer should have been:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Mark Lancaster) on 2 December to Question number 17676.The cost of bed and breakfast accommodation at Force Development Training Centre (FDTC) Fairbourne was £540.00 during financial year 2014-15 and FDTC Grantown-on-Sprey was £1,920.00 as at Decemberduring financial year 2015-16.2014-15



17676 - QnA extact on Military Bases
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Mr Julian Brazier: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Mark Lancaster) on 2 December to Question number 17676.The cost of bed and breakfast accommodation at Force Development Training Centre (FDTC) Fairbourne was £540.00 during financial year 2014-15 and FDTC Grantown-on-Sprey was £1,920.00 as at Decemberduring financial year 2015-16.2014-15



17676 - QnA extact on Military Bases
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Air Force: Pay

Jo Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the trade supplement for a RAF weapon technician is no longer grouped with aircraft engineering trades under Armed Forces Pay Reform.

Jo Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what process the trade supplement for an RAF weapon technician was decided under Armed Forces Pay Reform.

Penny Mordaunt: For Other Ranks, the Ministry of Defence uses a long-standing and rigorous process of Job Evaluation (JE) to determine the pay treatment of each trade. In the current binary pay model which consists of High and Low Pay Bands, JE evidence assigns the role of the RAF Weapon Technician to the High Pay Band. In the new pay system, with its four supplements and greater flexibility, the same JE evidence assigns the Weapon Technician to Supplement 2, while other trades in the RAF's Trade Group 1 (TG1) (Aircraft Engineering) are assigned to Supplement 3. This does not mean there has been a reduction in the Weapon Technician's technical status or intrinsic value. It reflects the fact that the other trades in TG1 continue to score higher in the JE process and therefore continue to be treated differently in pay terms.No-one will take a pay cut on transition to the new model and Service personnel will continue to be eligible for any Government approved pay award. Incremental progressions will also continue to be a feature of the new pay model, though rationalised.

Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what lessons were learned for emergency planning in the event of an accident involving the road transport of nuclear warheads from the Operation Senator emergency planning exercise held at HMS Gannet, Prestwick Airport in September 2011.

Penny Mordaunt: The Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) assessment concluded that Exercise Senator 2011 achieved its stated objectives.The DNSR assessment report contains five findings, four of which have been formally closed out. Work is in hand to address the remaining finding.I shall place copies of the DNSR assessment and All Agency report in the Library of the House.

Iraq: Military Aid

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Iraqi army have been trained by British servicemen since 2003.

Penny Mordaunt: Since 2003, the UK has played an important role in delivering training to the Iraqi Army through a range of training, mentoring and advisory activities. Due to the varied nature of the training it is not possible to give an exact figure of the numbers trained, but we do have figures for some specific areas of training.Between 2004 and 2009 - as part of Operation TELIC - British Service personnel in the south of Iraq trained over 20,000 Iraqi Army soldiers. During this period the UK also supported the NATO training mission in Iraq, with British Forces providing advice and training to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence. The UK was the lead for officer education and training, and British mentors provided training and advice to the Iraqi Security Forces.Under Operation SHADER, during 2015 and 2016, the UK has trained approximately 5,000 members of the Iraqi Army. This training has mainly focused on the delivery of Counter-IED training to support the Iraqi Security Forces in defeating Daesh.

Kurds: Military Aid

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Kurdish Peshmerga have been trained by British servicemen since 2014.

Penny Mordaunt: Since Operation SHADER began in 2014, the UK - as part of the Coalition - has trained approximately 3,000 members of the Kurdish security forces. The majority of those trained have been Kurdish Peshmerga.

Afghanistan: Military Aid

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Afghan army have been trained by British servicemen since 2001.

Penny Mordaunt: Since 2001, alongside NATO partners, the UK has played an important role in developing the 350,000 strong Afghan National Security Forces through a range of training, mentoring and advisory activities.During Operation HERRICK (2002-2014) UK Armed Forces personnel mentored and advised 3rd Brigade, 215 Corps of the Afghan National Army in Helmand. During this time, UK forces partnered Afghan personnel on operations, allowing them to learn from experience and enabling them, over time, to take the lead for operations themselves. The UK also supported the development of Afghan military instructors.Since the end of 2014, as part of Operation TORAL, the UK has mentored and advised the Afghan instructors at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) in Kabul. Up to 1140 Afghan cadets can be enrolled at ANAOA each year.At present as part of wider NATO activity, the UK also has a small team deployed to Helmand to further assist the development of 215 Corps.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British servicemen and women are based on British military bases abroad.

Penny Mordaunt: There are 9,360 British Service personnel permanently based on British military bases abroad. This figure includes those based in Cyprus, Gibraltar, the South Atlantic Islands, Diego Garcia, Germany, Canada, Kenya, Brunei, Nepal and Belize. This figure represents the number of Service personnel who are stationed at that location. It may differ from the actual number of people working on the base at the time, for example due to deployments. The breakdown of these figures into country and service is shown below; where countries have five or less personnel, these are rounded to zero and the country does not appear in the table. The Ministry of Defence regularly publishes the location figures for both military and civilian personnel, which can be accessed on the GOV.UK website at:https//www.gov.uk/government/statistics/location-of-uk-regular-service-and-civilian-personnel-quarterly-statistics-2015UK Base CountryNavyArmyRAFTOTALGermany205,9001306,050Canada1036020390Kenya021010220Brunei1013010150Nepal020020Cyprus201,4807302,230Gibraltar1103030170South Atlantic Islands10502080Diego Garcia400040Belize010010TOTAL2208,1909509,360(Location of UK regular service and civilian personnel quarterly statistics- 1 October 2015)

Middle East: Military Intervention

Julie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British servicemen are serving in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan.

Penny Mordaunt: As of 22 January 2016, there were 287 British Service personnel serving in Iraq as part of Operation SHADER. This includes UK training teams providing training to the Iraq Security Forces and Kurdish Security Forces and UK support to various Coalition headquarters. Routine movements and minor changes in requirements mean that this number will vary over time.For Afghanistan, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State in the House of Lords, the Rt Hon Earl Howe PC to the noble Lord, Lord Moonie, in the House of Lords to Question HL5150.



HL5150 - QnA extract on Afghanistan
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Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will make it his policy never to permit the transit of nuclear weapons in urban areas in hazardous weather conditions.

Penny Mordaunt: The safety and security of Defence Nuclear Materials and the public is given the highest priority at all times. The relevant local agencies, including Police and the National Traffic Information Services, are consulted as necessary and factors such as road and weather conditions are always taken into account for all convoy movements.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans for the Reaper User Group to (a) meet and (b) consider training, interoperability or asset-sharing.

Penny Mordaunt: The Reaper User Group will meet on 14-18 March 2016 and is likely to consider training, interoperability and asset sharing.

Russia: Shipping

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Fleet Ready Escort will meet the Russian ship Mikhail Dudin as he passes through the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Penny Mordaunt: I am withholding details of our capabilities and programmes as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East to Question 222431, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Reaper User Group terms of reference.

Penny Mordaunt: Discussions with partner nations are continuing about the release of the Terms of Reference of the Reaper User Group.

Future Large Aircraft: Costs

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Royal Air Force Airbus A400M cost from development and approval to the end of 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne: Since being approved in 2000, the cost of the UK A400M Atlas acquisition programme to the end of 2015 has been £1,402 million.

Future Large Aicraft: Costs

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the lifetime cost to the public purse of the Royal Air Force Airbus A400M.

Mr Philip Dunne: The forecast costs of the main elements making up the A400M Atlas aircraft programme, including the acquisition, training and in-service support of the aircraft, is £3.6 billion.

Future Large Aicraft: Costs

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether cost comparisons were made between the Boeing C-17 Globemaster and Airbus A400M prior to approval for procurement of the Airbus A400M.

Mr Philip Dunne: The business case for the acquisition of A400M was approved in 2000 and, I am advised that in accordance with extant Ministry of Defence policy, it was supported by a series of value for money assessments and comparisons, including with the C-17 aircraft.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the lifetime cost to the public purse of  Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm Augusta Westland AW159 Wildcat helicopters.

Mr Philip Dunne: The forecast costs of the AW159 Wildcat aircraft programme, including the development, acquisition, training and in-service support of the aircraft, is £5.2 billion.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm Augusta Westland AW159 Wildcat helicopters cost from development and approval to the end of 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne: The accrued costs on the AW159 Wildcat helicopter programme since the main investment decision in June 2006 through to the end of 2015 is £1.5 billion.

USA: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2015 to the hon. Member for Bolton South East to Question 16740, to what extent his Department uses US contractors for the training of UK Reaper operators and support personnel.

Penny Mordaunt: The United States Air Force makes use of contractors in order to deliver Reaper training to both UK and their own Reaper crews (pilots and sensor operators). Contractors deliver the majority of Ground School and Simulator training, with a smaller proportion involved in Flying training. I can confirm that no support personnel are trained by US contractors.

Defence Equipment: Special Forces

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech at the Lord Mayor's Banquet on 16 November 2015, what equipment his Department plans to procure under the £2 billion programme of new investment in the special forces.

Mr Philip Dunne: As the Department announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review in November 2015, the additional investment in the UK Special Forces will include the acquisition of advanced communications equipment, information capabilities, specialist weapons and clothing and see upgrades to helicopters and transport aircraft. It is long standing policy not to comment on further detail of Special Forces. This programme of investment will enhance UK Special Forces' counter-terrorism capabilities and their ability to operate covertly around the world, and allow them to deploy further and faster.

Ministry of Defence: Security

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) unauthorised entries to military bases, (b) thefts or losses of classified material, (c) successful cyber attacks on his Department's systems and (d) other security breaches took place in (i) 2014 and (ii) 2015; and what steps his Department took in response to each such breach.

Mark Lancaster: The numbers of security incidents recorded centrally within the Ministry of Defence in each of the years in question is set out in the table below.Number of Security Incidents by Calendar Year20142015Unauthorised entries to military bases2444Thefts or losses of classified material424490Other security breaches1,0891,611I am withholding the information on successful cyber attacks on the Ministry of Defence's systems for the purpose of safeguarding national security and as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.The Ministry of Defence treats all breaches of security very seriously and requires all breaches to be reported. All incidents are subjected to an initial security risk assessment with further action taken on a proportionate basis.

Islamic State: Military Intervention

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway IV guided bombs have been deployed against targets in (i) Iraq since September 2014 and (ii) Syria since December 2015.

Penny Mordaunt: The number of weapons fired by each weapon type in each country during the period requested up to 24 January 2016 is shown below:RAF Weapon Usage on Op SHADER in Iraq and SyriaWeapon TypeNumber of weapons fired at targets in Iraq From September 2014Number of weapons fired at targets in Syria From 2 December 2015Hellfire3117Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone1179Paveway IV54034The Ministry of Defence provides a regular update on airstrikes at http//www.gov.uk/government/news/update-air-strikes-in-Iraq

Trident Submarines: Finance

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the contingency fund for the new generation of successor Trident submarines was based on a full quantitative risk assessment of the project.

Mr Philip Dunne: As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we have set a contingency of £10 billion, which represents around 35% of the cost to completion. This is a prudent estimate based on past experience of large, complex projects, such as the 2012 Olympics.

Nuclear Weapons

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.75 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, whether he has established the new team in his Department to act as the single sponsor for all aspects of the nuclear enterprise including procurement.

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.75 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, whether his Department has recruited an experienced, commercial specialist to lead the new nuclear enterprise sponsor team.

Mr Philip Dunne: Options for the new team continue to be developed and assessed. We expect to announce further details later this year once decisions have been made.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Statement of 20 July 2015, Official Report, columns 1233-4, on Counter-ISIL Coalition Strategy, if he will publish the location of UK personnel, other than special forces, embedded in other nations' armed forces on a monthly basis.

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Written Statement of 20 July 2015, HCWS 149, if he will make it his policy to publish the (a) numbers, (b) units and (c) dates of embedded service of UK personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces on a monthly basis.

Michael Fallon: I refer my right hon. Friend to my Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2015 (Official Report, column WS431).For operational security reasons we will not routinely identify units, location or dates.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK red card policy for personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces.

Michael Fallon: There is no single red card policy for UK personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces as their permissions will be specific to the operation in which they will be deployed. It is long-standing Government policy that we do not release details of our Rules of Engagement; to do so would give our enemies detail that would put our Armed Forces at greater risk.

Migration: Mediterranean Sea

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what coordination he is undertaking with other EU member states on the deployment of military assets to rescue migrants and refugees at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean.

Penny Mordaunt: The Royal Navy is not currently involved in a Search and Rescue Mission in the Mediterranean. However, HMS Enterprise, which is currently deployed as part of the EU Naval Forces Operation in the Mediterranean, will coordinate with assets from other EU member states in order to respond to vessels in distress.In addition, a Royal Marine force protection team is deployed on board the Border Force chartered vessel MV VOS GRACE currently in the Aegean Sea, supporting the EU's FRONTEX-led search and rescue operation.In total, the UK has rescued over 12,500 people in the Mediterranean.

USA: Military Alliances

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Statement of 20 July 2015, HCWS 149, whether UK personnel embedded with the US military are subject to US military and domestic criminal law, or UK law, or both.

Michael Fallon: Under the Armed Forces Act 2006, UK personnel embedded with other nations' armed forces remain subject to Service law (including the criminal law of England and Wales) at all times. Whether UK personnel embedded with US armed forces are also subject to US law will depend on the exact nature of their deployment.

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Maintenance

Mr David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what monitoring his Department is undertaking to ensure that the level of service to the public is not negatively affected by the transfer of responsibilities from the Child Support Agency to the Child Maintenance Service.

Priti Patel: The government has introduced a new statutory Child Maintenance Service for parents who are unable to make a family-based arrangement. It will bring speedier processing of applications, simpler calculations and faster enforcement action for those that choose not to pay. This will help increase the number of payments reaching children on time and in full and will result in a better use of taxpayers’ money.We are contacting parents 6 months before their CSA case closes to allow them the opportunity to access the support services available to them. They receive a reminder 1 month before their CSA case ends, and a confirmation once it has actually ended. We do not transfer cases automatically to the Child Maintenance Service. We close them in a way that minimises the risk of disruption to child maintenance payments.Cases on the previous CSA schemes are being closed in an order determined by case characteristics. This includes the micro-management of the phases of case closure using our tried and tested pathfinder approach; sequencing and prioritising case closure to minimise disruption for clients.The Department set out an evaluation strategy in December 2014 which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387584/child-maintenance-reforms-evaluation-strategy.pdf

Employment and Support Allowance

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employment and support allowance claimants with (a) Parkinson's disease, (b) rheumatoid arthritis, (c) motor neurone disease, (d) multiple sclerosis and (e)  cystic fibrosis have been (i) placed in support groups, (ii) placed in the work-related activity group and (iii) found fit for work since 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel: The information requested is shown in the table below. Cystic FibrosisSpinal Muscular AtrophyParkinson's DiseaseMultiple SclerosisOther Rheumatoid ArthritisInitialSG9001,1001,7007,6003,400WRAG1001007002,6003,500FFW100-6001,8004,100RepeatSG5003001,1007,3004,500WRAG100-5002,2003,900FFW--1004001,200IBRSG6002001,30015,4006,100WRAG100-3002,6005,000FFW---3001,100

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a scheme based on the actuarial pension model to increase the speed at which women born in the 1950s qualify for state pension.

Justin Tomlinson: The State Pension is funded through the National Insurance scheme which does not bear comparison with a commercially operated one.Although eligibility for the State Pension is dependent in part on the payment of National Insurance, the National Insurance system is not an individual pension fund. National Insurance credits are available for many people to help them build entitlement towards the State Pension. National Insurance contributions also give entitlement to a range of other benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.Future entitlement to benefits is a matter for the Government and Parliament to decide, and the changes to the State Pension age have been made in conjunction with introducing the triple-lock protection of the basic State Pension, the introduction of the new State Pension, and the protection of other pensioner benefits.

Universal Credit: Employment Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether universal credit claimants working 35 hours per week and being paid at the level of the national minimum wage will be entitled to request support from his Department's in-work progression pilot.

Priti Patel: Subject to certain exclusions (including people who are unable to work or earn more due to caring or because of health conditions or disabilities; who are recent victims of domestic violence; who provide medical evidence of unfitness for work pending a work capability assessment; prisoners; claimants absent from GB for medical treatment; claimants who are recently bereaved; and claimants undergoing treatment for drug or alcohol addiction), claimants would be eligible for selection into the In-work Progression Randomised Control Trial if they have monthly employed earnings above the Administrative Earnings Threshold (£338 per month for a single person or £541 per month for a couple in 2015/16); and have earnings below the Conditionality Earnings Threshold, which is individually set but up to a maximum of the equivalent of 35 hours work at the national minimum wage.In order to maintain the integrity of the randomised control trial, individuals who are ineligible for selection are not able to participate in the trial.

Universal Credit: Employment Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what range of financial incentives will be offered to universal credit claimants under the in-work progression pilot.

Priti Patel: Financial incentives are not offered as part of the In-work Progression Randomised Control Trial.

Employment Schemes: Mental Illness

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of back-to-work programmes for people with mental health problems; and if he will take steps to change programmes judged to be ineffective.

Justin Tomlinson: Our ambition to halve the disability employment gap has been a key driver in establishing the Work and Health unit with the Department for Health. At least £115m of funding will go to the Work and Health Unit, including an innovation fund to test new ways to join up health and employment to help people with disabilities and health conditions to return to and stay in work.Our wider employment programmes provide those with mental health conditions with the appropriate support to find work. Work Choice is an employment programme is specifically for those with a disability or health condition. Of the 14,290 starters who declared either a Severe or Mild to Moderate Mental Health condition as their Primary Disability, 6,650 (over 46%) have achieved a job outcome.The Department conducts a monthly review of a sample of claimants from each employment contract, to assess the effectiveness of those programmes and requires providers to rectify any issues identified.Further support is available through the Access to Work Mental Health Support Scheme. Last year, it supported 1630 people who declared a Mental Health condition as their Primary Medical Condition – a 15% increase on 2013/14 and a record number for the scheme.Over the next three years, we are investing £43 million to develop an evidence base, via a range of voluntary trials, for what works to support people with mental health conditions into employment. Each of the voluntary trials will test a different approach of combined health and employment support.

Universal Credit

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people who were at any time included in the universal credit in-work conditionality pilot are no longer receiving any element of that credit.

Priti Patel: National roll-out of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial commenced in December 2015 and is likely to be completed in summer 2016. We are unable to provide the information requested at this early stage.

Universal Credit

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots track outcomes for people who are no longer in receipt of that credit.

Priti Patel: We will track the outcomes of all people who participate in the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial, including those who are no longer claiming Universal Credit.

Universal Credit: Young People

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people receiving universal credit and aged under 25 are subject to a 48 hour working week claimant commitment agreement under the terms of the universal credit in-work conditionality pilot.

Priti Patel: The main objective of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial is to support people to increase their earnings where possible. This is not necessarily about increasing hours, and there is no expectation that participants should work 48 hours per week. Requirements set as part of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial are recorded in an individually-tailored claimant commitment, and will only include reasonable actions that the participant themselves agree to take.

Pensioners: Income

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to protect pensioners' incomes in (a) Kettering and (b) England.

Justin Tomlinson: This Government wants all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement. We are committed to the ‘triple lock’, the guarantee that the basic and new State Pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5%. From April 2016, the full basic State Pension will rise to £119.30 a week, an increase of £3.35 and the biggest real terms increase to the basic State Pension since 2001. This will benefit many of the 18000 recipients of State Pension in Kettering and the 10 million recipients in England.For the poorest pensioners, from April 2016 Pension Credit will top up income to a guaranteed minimum level of £155.60 for a single person and £237.55 for couples. We are protecting key benefits for older people including Winter Fuel Payments, free eye tests, free NHS prescriptions, free bus passes and free television licences for those aged 75 and over.

Work and Health Programme: Contracts

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what projection his Department has made of the annual spend on the contracted-out element of back to work support for the forthcoming Work and Health Programme; and how that spend compares with the annual spend on the current Work Programme and Work Choice.

Priti Patel: We are currently working on the design of the new Work and Health programme and we will publish the design and funding in due course.

Universal Credit

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have signed revised claimant commitments as part of the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots.

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the outcomes have been of the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots.

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have participated in the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots; and (a) how many and (b) what proportion of these people have been sanctioned since those pilots began.

Priti Patel: National roll-out of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial commenced in December 2015 and is likely to be completed in summer 2016. We are unable to provide the information requested at this early stage.

Universal Credit

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to commission and publish an independent evaluation of the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots.

Priti Patel: We will publish a full evaluation of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial, which will include both in-house and externally commissioned research.

Members: Correspondence

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birkenhead to him dated 19 January 2016 on the state pension.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested in the Rt. Hon Member’s letter was sent to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on Friday 29 January 2016.

Occupational Money Purchase Schemes

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the distribution of contributions to defined-contribution pension schemes for each (a) income level and (b) age.

Justin Tomlinson: There are no breakdowns available by income level either for DC personal pensions or for DC workplace pensions.There is also no breakdown available by age for DC personal pensions, but data on the distribution of employee contribution rates to workplace DC schemes, by age, can be found within Reference Table 5.1 of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2014 publication available here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-400776

Occupational Pensions

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the distribution of deemed contributions to defined-benefit pension schemes for each (a) income level and (b) age.

Justin Tomlinson: Distributions of deemed contributions to defined-benefit (DB) schemes broken down by income level or age, are not readily available, and have not been previously published as official statistics.

Health

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have suffered a six-month or longer period of sickness in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Justin Tomlinson: Department for Work and Pensions does not routinely capture management information on the number of people who have suffered a six-month or longer period of sickness.

Children: Maintenance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 23 November 2015 to Questions 16300 and 16301, what proportion of cases with a current liability the 110 non-compliant cases that have been closed as part of the CSA case closure programme represent.

Priti Patel: The 110 non-complaint cases represent 0.02% of the cases with a current liability as at the quarter ending September 2015.NotesThe percentage figure is rounded to 2 decimal places.Cases include those paying via Collection Service and Maintenance Direct.The non-compliant case figure was at October 2015.The percentage figure is of the number of cases with a current liability as at September 2015 (574,400).

Supported Housing: Housing Benefit

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the loss of income to providers of supported housing from a cap on housing benefit at the rate of local housing allowance.

Justin Tomlinson: The information is not available.

Supported Housing: Housing Benefit

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on local authority budgets of people in supported housing not remaining in that housing as a result of a cap on housing benefit at the rate of local housing allowance.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not available.

Severe Disability Premium

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on local authorities of removal of the severe disability premium.

Priti Patel: The fact that the severe disability premium does not feature within the structure of Universal Credit (UC) has no financial effect on Local Authorities. Under UC, the most severely disabled claimants will receive more targeted support.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22791, what criteria are used by Work Coaches to assess a claimant's financial capability.

Priti Patel: Work Coaches have the autonomy to tailor their discussions to meet the claimant’s needs and to determine the level of support and advice they require.

Social Security Benefits and Welfare Tax Credits: Payments

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce delays in payment of tax credits and other benefits as a result of administrative errors; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel: Tax Credits are the responsibility of HMRC.The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring payments are made in a timely manner and benefit payment times are improving year on year.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Museums and Galleries

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of how many museums and galleries charged for entry in (a) 2005 and (b) 2010; and what estimate his Department has made of how many museums and galleries plan to introduce such charges in 2016.

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on museums and galleries in (a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2014-15; and what estimate he has made of such spending in (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17.

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many museums and galleries have closed in each region and nation of the UK since 2010.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Thanks to an excellent Spending Review settlement in November 2015 - the Government is honouring its manifesto commitment to keep entry to the permanent collections of our national museums free.Through the Arts Council England, DCMS is increasing funding for major partner museums to £22.6 million to enable greater regional spending. In addition to this, regional museums can bid for funds from ACE's £10 million per year Resilience Fund. We are also investing millions of pounds to boost local and regional museums - for example, £5 million towards a new South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum and £2.5 million to the Manchester Museum of Science andIndustry.Spend on DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries was £389.7 million in 2014/15. In 2005 spend was £397.4 million and in 2010 it was £474.7 million. The Heritage Lottery Fund is also a major source of support to museums. To date, HLF has supported a total of 38,000 projects with £6.6 billion across the UK with around one third of this being allocated to museums, including support for capital projects, acquisitions and skills development.

Housing Associations: Internet

Melanie Onn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of housing association residents have access to the internet at home.

Melanie Onn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of local authority social housing residents have access to the internet at home.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government is on target to deliver access to superfast broadband for 95% of UK premises by December 2017, and to extend coverage beyond that as far as possible. As the Prime Minister announced last autumn, the government proposes that by the end of this parliament people should have a legal right to request access to a good level of broadband speed, no matter where they live. The honourable member will be pleased to hear that in her Great Grimsby constituency, 96 per cent of homes and businesses can already access superfast broadband - and it is estimated that coverage will rise to98 per cent by the end of 2017. Additional funding sources, including the £129 million of gainshare funding that BT will return in response to the high levels of take-up being achieved, will allow coverage to be extended further in Great Grimsby and the rest of the area covered by the North Lincolnshire broadband project.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what basis Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) provides forecasts for the rollout of BDUK-funded broadband infrastructure in local areas.

Mr Edward Vaizey: BDUK models broadband coverage using a combination of commercial and BDUK project data mapped against UK postcodes.

Ofcom

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what responsibilities Ofcom has for (a) data protection, (b) consumer rights relating to data and (c) data markets; and what plans he has to review those responsibilities.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is the primary regulator in relation to the protection of personal data - its powers are set out in the Data Protection Act (1998) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (2003). Ofcom has responsibilities in relation to network security under Sections 105A to 105D of the Communications Act (2003), which place an obligation on providers of telecoms networks and services to take appropriate measures to protect their security and resilience. Ofcom and the ICO have agreed that the ICO will lead on any personal data protection issues which may also fall within the scope of s105A. As with all matters of responsibility for regulation, these arrangements are kept under review.

BBC: Royal Charters

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Government plans to publish the results of its consultation on the review of the BBC's Royal Charter.

Mr Edward Vaizey: I refer the honourable member to my response to PQ 22672, submitted to Parliament on 19 January.

Broadband Delivery UK

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, in which BDUK contract areas (a) new duct and (b) poles installed by BT with funding from BDUK have been made available for use by other communications providers.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) kilometres of new duct and (b) poles installed by BT with funding from BDUK have been made available for use by other communications providers.

Mr Edward Vaizey: All ducts and poles in BT’s network beyond the telephone exchange are open to other providers, under the Passive Infrastructure Access obligation imposed by Ofcom, to provide primarily residential broadband services.

Broadcasting Programmes

Nigel Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with (a) broadcasters and (b) Ofcom on the Ofcom review into the regulatory framework of independent television production; and if he will make a statement.

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Ofcom's review of the future regulatory framework of the independent television production sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Ofcom reported on the operation of the television production sector on 23 December. I am now considering that report, and will make a decision in due course.

Music: Disability

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department gives on the number and type of wheelchair spaces which should be available for disabled people in music venues across the UK.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The huge variation in size, type and location of music venues across the UK makes it impractical to require venue operators to make a specific number of spaces available for disabled people. However, we believe that everyone should have equal access to arts and culture. We are working with venues and organisations representing disabled people to identify barriers to access along with examples of best practice and how these can be shared and; to consider what more cultural venues need to do to be accessible to people with disabilities.We are supportive of the work of Attitude is Everything, which aims to improve disabled people’s access to live events, working in partnership with audiences, artists, and the music industry. My ministerial colleague Ed Vaizey also recently held a roundtable meeting with Justin Tomlinson, Minister for Disabled People to look at access to cultural venues and events for disabled people.

Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects part two of the Leveson Inquiry to take place; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government has been clear that a decision on whether to undertake Part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry will not take place until after all criminal investigations and trials related to Part 1 are concluded.

Sports: Females

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with his counterparts in the devolved administrations how to maximise the practical steps being taken across the UK to increase female participation in sports.

David Evennett: The Government is determined to get more girls and women playing sport and to remove any barrier that prevents women and other under-represented groups from taking part in sport and wider physical activity. In December we published a new cross-Departmental strategy for sport and physical activity, 'Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation', which sets out a new vision for a successful and active sporting nation.While grassroots sport is a devolved matter, we recognise the complicated landscape of reserved and devolved powers around responsibility for sport and physical activity. To help improve co-ordination and sharing of best practice among the the devolved administrations and the UK Government, the 'Sport Cabinet' will be re-established. It will bring together the four sports ministers who represent Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and both England and the UK as a whole.

Home Office

Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade: Hanoi

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Ministers and staff of her Department will be attending the Hanoi Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in November 2016; and what the projected cost of that attendance will be in (a) staff salaries, (b) travel and (c) other costs.

Karen Bradley: The UK remains committed to its global leadership role in helping to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. During his visit to Vietnam in July 2015, the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK would provide £200,000 to support Vietnam in hosting a third high level international conference on the illegal wildlife trade. The Conference, to be held on 24-25 November 2016, will build on the successful London and Kasane Conferences of 2014 and 2015. Decisions about who will represent the UK at the Vietnam Conference have not yet been made.

Vetting

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the information that a person has been arrested and bailed and subsequently released without charge by the Police is required to be provided to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS); how long such information is required to remain on that individual's DBS records; and for how long the DBS is required to disclose that information to enquirers.

Karen Bradley: A chief police officer should only provide such information to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for inclusion in an enhanced criminal record certificate where they believe it is relevant to the purpose of the certificate and, in their opinion, it ought to be included.The DBS does not maintain a record itself for disclosure purposes.

Department for International Development

Syria: International Assistance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that all financial investment pledged for equal access to quality education at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference will be backed by the necessary political will and policy changes.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will seek to use her Department's influence on countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region surrounding that country to allow non-government organisations to provide non-formal education opportunities for such refugees.

Mr Desmond Swayne: At the Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region being held in London on 4th February, we want the international community to agree a new goal that all Syrian refugee children and affected host country children are in education – formal school or non-formal – by the end of 2016/17. Equally, for inside Syria, it is our aim to increase access to good quality schooling or other learning opportunities such as self-learning and non-formal education. In neighbouring countries we will also increase access to vocational or skills training and higher education for children and youth.At the Conference our ambition is that international donors, governments from countries in the region hosting refugees, non-governmental organisations and the private sector come together to agree a set of reciprocal financial and policy commitments. The UK and co-hosts are working with donors and other partners to secure increased funding for education under the UN-led appeals for 2016 and longer term, multi-year education funding commitments to ensure sustainability. We are also working with refugee hosting governments in particular to agree the policy commitments necessary to turn increased funding into delivery on the ground.

Syria: Refugees

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that teachers are paid a fair wage and receive appropriate training and support in countries hosting Syrian refugees in the vicinity of that country.

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage countries hosting Syrian refugees in that region to allow NGOs to provide non-formal education opportunities.

Mr Desmond Swayne: At the Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region being held in London on 4th February, we want the international community to agree a new goal that all Syrian refugee children and affected host country children are in education – formal school or non-formal – by the end of 2016/17. Equally, for inside Syria, it is our aim to increase access to good quality schooling or other learning opportunities such as self-learning and non-formal education. In neighbouring countries we will also increase access to vocational or skills training and higher education for children and youth.At the Conference our ambition is that international donors, governments from countries in the region hosting refugees, non-governmental organisations and the private sector come together to agree a set of reciprocal financial and policy commitments. The UK and co-hosts are working with donors and other partners to secure increased funding for education under the UN-led appeals for 2016 and longer term, multi-year education funding commitments to ensure sustainability. We are also working with refugee hosting governments in particular to agree the policy commitments necessary to turn increased funding into delivery on the ground.

Syria: International Assistance

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what outcomes her Department is working for at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference in February 2016.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Through the “Supporting Syria and the Region (London 2016)” Conference we aim to raise significant new funding to meet the immediate and longer-term needs of all those affected by the crisis within Syria, and to support neighbouring countries who have shown enormous generosity in hosting refugees.The Conference will address the longer-term needs of those affected by the crisis through supporting the creation of jobs and providing education in the region, offering those that have been forced to flee their homes greater hope for the future. Specifically, we aim to ensure access to education for all refugee and host community children by the end of the 2016-17 school year.The Conference will also maintain pressure on all parties to the conflict to stop the obstruction of humanitarian relief and abuse of civilians that perpetuate the crisis and respect International Humanitarian Law. We aim to agree action to give people inside Syria safer healthcare, safer education, and support for the most vulnerable, especially girls and women. Looking ahead, it will need to ensure the international community is well prepared to support a coordinated stabilisation effort.

Syria: International Assistance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what outcomes her Department is aiming to achieve at the Supporting Syria and the Refugee Conference in February 2016.

Mr Desmond Swayne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 29 January to Question number 23764.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if her Department will take steps to ensure that all children and young people affected by the Syrian conflict are in school and learning in (a) 2016-17 school year and (b) future years.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to encourage other participants in the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference to (a) increase access to accredited quality non-formal education for Syrian refugee children in host countries in that region and (b) ensure that funding for Syrian refugee education is sustained beyond short-term humanitarian support.

Mr Desmond Swayne: At the Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region being held in London on 4th February, we want the international community to agree a new goal that all Syrian refugee children and affected host country children are in education – formal school or non-formal – by the end of 2016/17. Equally, for inside Syria, it is our aim to increase access to good quality schooling or other learning opportunities such as self-learning and non-formal education. In neighbouring countries we will also increase access to vocational or skills training and higher education for children and youth.At the Conference our ambition is that international donors, governments from countries in the region hosting refugees, non-governmental organisations and the private sector come together to agree a set of reciprocal financial and policy commitments. The UK and co-hosts are working with donors and other partners to secure increased funding for education under the UN-led appeals for 2016 and longer term, multi-year education funding commitments to ensure sustainability. We are also working with refugee hosting governments in particular to agree the policy commitments necessary to turn increased funding into delivery on the ground.

Syria: Refugees

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the Lebanese government to resume the registration of Syrian refugees.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK recognises the refugee presence in Lebanon is placing great strain on the country. It is important however that those who seek refuge from the conflict in Syria are able to do so, and after fleeing are able to register as refugees in order to gain access to essential basic services. UNHCR, as the mandated UN agency to advocate for the protection and promotion of the rights of refugees, plays a crucial role in registering refugees. That is why to date, the UK has allocated £46 million to UNHCR’s operations in Lebanon, of which a proportion will go to funding registration.Alongside its support to UNHCR, DFID is also providing over £8 million to the Norwegian Refugee Council, a proportion of which will go to funding information, counselling and legal assistance to refugees in Lebanon to ensure they are aware of their rights and are able to access all relevant services available to them. The UK also continues to work with Government of Lebanon and UNHCR to ensure that all refugees and persons of concern are registered and receiving the help they need.

Papua New Guinea: Overseas Aid

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much UK aid has been provided to (a) Bougainville and (b) Papua New Guinea in each of the last three years.

Mr Desmond Swayne: UK official development assistance to Papua New Guinea in calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014 (the most recent years for which full data is available) was £1.3 million, £1million and £1.1 million respectively. Disaggregated data for funding specifically to Bougainville is not available.

Israel: Palestinians

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing to projects that develop opportunities for educational co-operation between Palestinians and Israelis.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Through the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), the UK provides support for the ‘Youth Creating Peace On/Line’ project which encourages educational cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis. The project, run by NGO ‘Kids Creating Peace’, uses dialogue and leadership workshops to train participants to become peace advocates in their communities and beyond. The UK is providing £40,000 to ‘Youth Creating Peace On/Line’ for 2016/17.

HM Treasury

Google: Corporation Tax

Wes Streeting: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings he has had with external organisations on Google's tax arrangements in the last 12 months.

Mr David Gauke: Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available on GOV.UK.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the conduct of enquiries, and Ministers are not informed of the progress of enquiries and play no part in agreeing the amount of tax to be paid by any taxpayer. HMRC is transparent about how conducts its enquiries and resolves matters under dispute. HMRC publish a Litigation and Settlement Strategy which prevents them from accepting a smaller settlement than they would expect to get in court.

Landfill Communities Fund

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy to implement the proposal to legally require Landfill Operators to provide 10 per cent match funding to release Landfill Communities Fund monies and to remove the Contributing Third Party.

Damian Hinds: The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) is a tax credit scheme into which landfill operators contribute voluntarily. Since its introduction in 1996, the LCF has contributed over £1.4bn to community projects in areas affected by a local landfill site. However, as the LCF is a tax credit scheme, it reduces the government’s tax revenues. We therefore have an ongoing responsibility to seek value for money for the taxpayer.Autumn Statement 2015 announced changes to the Landfill Communities Fund. These changes were set out following consultation by HMRC on reforms to the fund. A summary of consultation responses, including those raising concerns about the Contributory Third Party (CTP) payment, can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reform-of-the-landfill-communities-fundThe government has received representations on the LCF reforms. We are taking views into consideration and our priority is to ensure that the Fund operates effectively and encourages money to be spent in the communities that need it.Information on the number of landfill operators contributing to the LCF is not held in the form requested. However, ENTRUST, the fund regulator, has published data on contributions to environmental bodies. This is available at:http://www.entrust.org.uk/landfill-community-fund/statistics/

Housing Benefit: Supported Housing

Helen Jones: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a) providers of supported housing and (b) organisations representing people with disabilities on the effect of a cap on housing benefit on the provision of supported housing.

Greg Hands: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Pensions: Tax Allowances

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what modelling his Department undertakes on the effect on changes to pension contributions of changes to (a) annual allowance and (b) lifetime allowance; and what sources his Department uses for such modelling.

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on accumulated pension wealth on the lifetime allowance basis.

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what basis his Department assessed the effect of changes to the (a) annual allowance and (b) lifetime allowance on pension contributions.

Harriett Baldwin: The Government does not hold its own records on total accumulated pension wealth, only on pension contributions. For the purposes of the Lifetime Allowance, officials have used data from the ONS Wealth and Assets Survey, which includes estimates of pension wealth.The Government assessed the effects of changes to the Annual Allowance and Lifetime Allowance by considering how many people would have to reduce their saving in response to these reductions. This methodology was agreed with the OBR.The reduction in the Lifetime Allowance will affect only 4% of savers currently approaching retirement. The Lifetime Allowance will be reduced to £1 million from April, but the average pension savings of someone approaching retirement is only £85,000.Just 1% of savers make contributions of £40,000 per year, the level of the Annual Allowance since April 2014. The average saver contributes £6,000 per year.The introduction of the Tapered Annual Allowance for individuals who earn over £150,000 in April 2016 will impact less than 2% of people saving into a pension.The Government laid out its modelling on the effect of changes to the Annual and Lifetime Allowances on pension contributions in its policy costings documents at the March and Summer Budgets 2015.For changes to the Lifetime Allowance, the Wealth and Assets Survey was used to estimate pension wealth, and this was projected forward using assumed pension contributions and estimates of the real rate of return on pensions savings taken from the OECD and the Government Actuary’s Department.For the Tapered Annual Allowance, modelling used estimates from the Survey of Personal Incomes, HMRC operational data on personal pension contributions, the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, and the Occupational Pension Scheme Survey.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Carbon Sequestration

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the priorities of the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage are; what that Office's budget is for 2015-16; whether that Office has set out a strategy for 2015-16; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government believes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has the potential to play an important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK.The Department’s Annual Report & Accounts for 2015-16 will be published in June 2016 and will review the work of the Department, including the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage in 2015-16. The Budget for the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage for 2015-16 is £41.3 million.

Carbon Sequestration

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to provide funding for carbon capture and storage projects in the next Contracts for Difference allocation round.

Andrea Leadsom: Under the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014, Contract for Difference allocation rounds are limited to renewable technologies. The next allocation round for less established technologies is expected to take place by the end of 2016. We are currently working with HM Treasury to finalise the budget for future allocation rounds and will set out more information in due course.Contracts for Difference for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) are issued only on direction from my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Carbon Sequestration: Yorkshire and the Humber

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the 450 million euros of funding from the EU allocated to carbon capture and storage projects in Yorkshire and the Humber will be spent in the UK following the decision to reduce spending on carbon capture and storage announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Andrea Leadsom: Holding answer received on 25 January 2016



The Don Valley Carbon Capture and Storage project was awarded a €180m European Energy Programme for Recovery grant in 2009 which contributes towards the feasibility and design phase of the project's development. The award remains in place.In 2013 the White Rose CCS project was awarded up to €300m in potential funding from the European Commission’s NER300 fund. Officials in the Department are in regular contact with the European Commission about this award and related issues.

Fuel Cells: Hydrogen

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the (a) viability of hydrogen fuel cells and (b) associated energy costs of extracting liquid hydrogen on the reduction of carbon emissions.

Andrea Leadsom: The viability of hydrogen fuel cells depends on a number of factors including the nature of the application and the future costs of fuel cells and competing energy technologies. Hydrogen can be produced by a number of different routes, some of which are low carbon. There are energy costs associated with the production, storage, distribution and end use of hydrogen which depend on the approach taken. Hydrogen is typically stored in bulk as a compressed gas rather than a cryogenic liquid; both processes require energy.

Fuel Poverty

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to work with local authorities to reduce the level of fuel poverty.

Andrea Leadsom: We are working with Local Authorities on fuel poverty initiatives in several ways:In March 2015 we announced the £25m Central Heating Fund, a Local Authority competition designed specifically to implement the principles of the fuel poverty strategy. 20 Local Authorities were successful and are now delivering central heating systems to low income households in their local communities. Installing a central heating system can cut the cost of heating a home adequately by over £1,000 a year, making real progress towards our fuel poverty objectives.Also in March last year we distributed £1m to scale up nine existing Local Authority schemes focused on tackling cold homes to improve people’s health. The evaluation of these projects is now underway and we are working closely with the Local Authorities to assess their impacts on health and on fuel poverty, as well as the effectiveness of their different approaches to delivery.Green Deal Communities awarded 23 Local Authorities funding to provide subsidy to householders to install energy efficiency measures, mainly solid wall insulation. Many of these schemes are targeting and providing funding to householders in fuel poverty.We are also interested in the role Local Authorities could play in a future energy company obligation (such as ECO); using local knowledge and working with ECO obligated energy suppliers to identify households in the greatest need. We will be consulting on the design of a supplier obligation in due course.

Fracking

Michelle Donelan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of potential sources for exploring fracking sites where sufficient fresh water is not available at that site.

Andrea Leadsom: Companies must obtain water from their local water company or apply for an abstraction licence from the Environment Agency. Whichever option a company chooses; an assessment would be made of the availability of water, existing users and any impact on the environment.If sufficient water is not available then the water company or the Environment Agency may not be able to grant permission for the company to use the water for all or part of the time it is required. Companies would need to plan their operations accordingly.

Nuclear Power Stations: Subsidies

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to her oral contribution of 18 January 2016, Official Report, column 1152, on subsidies for low carbon power, what recent estimate she has made of the year by which new nuclear generation at (a) Hinkley point C, (b) Sizewell C, (c) Wylfa Newydd, (d) Oldbury and (e) Moorside is likely to operate on a subsidy-free basis; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: Our electricity market reforms have set the right conditions for necessary investment in our energy market, and support low-carbon generation in nuclear as well as in other generating sectors.My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to be in a position to take her final decision on the Contract for Difference and associated agreements for Hinkley Point C once the documentation relating to equity investment into the project is finalised. The Contract for Difference would provide revenue support during the operational phase of Hinkley Point C for a period of 35 years. No applications for development consent to build new nuclear power stations at the other sites have been made and it is too soon to say what the funding arrangements might be for these projects proposed by developers.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the entering into force of the agreement between the UK and EDF to proceed with Hinkley Point C is conditional on the Flamanville successfully demonstrating capability of operation; what recent conversations her Department has had with EDF about the findings of the French Nuclear Safety Authority on tests on the Flamanville EPR reactor vessel head and bottom and the implications for her policies  on new nuclear power; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s final decision on the Contract for Difference and associated agreements for Hinkley Point C is not dependent on developments at Flamanville. The UK has its own independent nuclear regulatory regime which has assessed the reactor design proposed for use at Hinkley Point and will continue to regulate the project through construction, operation and decommissioning. As part of this, the Office for Nuclear Regulation has said that it expects EDF to apply any relevant lessons learned from Flamanville and improve its design to ensure the delivery of high standards of nuclear safety for its new nuclear power plants in the UK. DECC officials are in regular contact with EDF about both projects.

Energy: Housing

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has for long-term sustainable household energy efficiency measures in the period after 2017.

Andrea Leadsom: We are providing support for households to improve their energy efficiency through a reformed domestic supplier obligation (ECO) from April 2017.This will upgrade the energy efficiency of over 200,000 homes per year to 2022, help to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty and continue to deliver on our commitment to insulate 1 million more homes this Parliament.We are also looking at a range of policy levers for driving take up of low carbon heat and energy efficiency in non-fuel poor households.

Power Failures

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on contingency plans for power cuts; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has met with my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to discuss contingency plans for disruption of critical services, including power. She has also attended COBR, to take part in discussions that include ensuring an effective strategic response to energy disruptions following recent storms.

Cabinet Office

Bill of Rights: Public Consultation

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the application of Government guidance on public consultations to the consultation on the Government's proposed Bill of Rights.

Mr Oliver Letwin: I recently published the Government’s Consultation Principles and have encouraged all ministers and departments to observe the guidance when considering consultation. The principles are publicly available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492132/20160111_Consultation_principles_final.pdf

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has undertaken a value for money assessment of the National Citizen Service; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Rob Wilson: A value for money assessment is conducted annually as part of the independent evaluation of the National Citizen Service programme. The most recent report, covering 2014, shows a return of up to £3.98 for every £1 invested. This figure quantifies a range of benefits including the time participants spend volunteering on their social action projects. The NCS Trust estimates that participants have volunteered 8 million hours since 2011.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding the National Citizen Service received in each of the last five years; how much it is estimated to receive in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Rob Wilson: The table below shows the funding provided by Government for delivery of National Citizen Service since the programme started in 2011.YearGovernment Funding2011/12£21 million2012/13£62 million2013/14£84 million2014/15£130 millionMore than £1 billion has been committed to the further expansion of NCS in this Parliament. The annual funding arrangements were announced in the 2015 Autumn statement and Spending Review.We want to extend the benefits of NCS to young people of all backgrounds.Government funding means that it never costs more than £50 to participate in this unique experience, and independent evaluations have shown a return of up to £3.98 for every £1 invested.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have taken part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) in each of the last five years; how many people he estimates will take part in the NCS in the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Rob Wilson: Whilst the most recent figures for 2015 have not yet been confirmed, the table below shows numbers of National Citizen Service participants since the programme began in 2011.YearNumber of NCS Participants20118,434201226,003201339,566201457,7892015To be published in 2016 We have ambitious targets for the next three years, on a trajectory to deliver 300,000 participants per year in 2019. We are committed to extending the benefits of NCS to as many young people and communities as possible, by providing a place for every young person who wants one.

Diabetes

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people of each age group and gender died from diabetes-related diseases in each of the last five years.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Diabetes Related Deaths
(PDF Document, 98.37 KB)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dogs: Imports

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs brought into the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme were found to be non-compliant with that scheme's requirements in each year since 2012.

George Eustice: The requirement to ensure that pet dogs travel to Great Britain on approved routes is the responsibility of the relevant transport companies. It is a condition of their approval that the transport companies check 100% of pets declared by their owners for compliance with the EU Pet Travel Scheme.The table below lists the number of audits completed by APHA staff on pet checkers and the number of fails identified during the audits.YearNo of Pets travelling to GB under PETSNo. of QA checks on Pet animalsNo. of non-compliances2012184,3386070742013167,5074894582014170,6595978542015267,613486369The data on the number of pets travelling from 2012/2014 was taken from the PETS database. We rely upon Pet checkers who operate upon behalf of APHA to complete the database and so cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data. A different system of recording the number of pets entering Great Britain in 2015 was implemented in Jan 2015. However, we still rely on pet checkers to provide this info and so cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data.Of the pets found not to be in compliance with the entry rules, these pets were either detained until their compliance could be established, re-exported or placed into quarantine.

Ivory: Africa

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to (a) close the trade and sale of ivory and (b) end the importation of ivory from countries such as (i) Tanzania, (ii) Zimbabwe and (iii) other African countries.

Rory Stewart: The Government is deeply concerned by the continued poaching of elephants for their ivory, which is why we are committed to maintaining the current global ban on any international trade in new ivory.The UK does not permit trade in raw ivory tusks of any age, from Tanzania, Zimbabwe or any other country. We are pressing for this approach to be taken across the whole of the European Union. In implementing our manifesto commitment to press for a total ban on ivory sales, we will work with our international partners and interested parties at home to take into account their views about how we best achieve this and over what timeframe.

Floods

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the distribution of nitrogen and phosphates in the English river system since recent flooding; and what assessment she has made of the potential effect of that distribution on the natural environment.

Rory Stewart: The Environment Agency records the concentrations of nitrates and phosphates at thousands of locations across England. It monitors on either a monthly or quarterly basis over the course of the year. The January data should soon be ready for compilation. Many of the December samples were taken before the heavy rain so analysis of the data is still being carried out.Heavy rainfall events, such as those experienced in the recent floods, generally cause an initial flush of nutrients from agricultural land and urban drainage systems to rivers.This causes an increase in river nutrient concentrations which then falls away due to dilution by high river flows.During floods, large amounts of nutrients are washed down rivers into coastal waters. If this occurs in summer it can trigger algal blooms, feeding on the nutrients. In winter, the effects are not generally significant as the reduced sunlight and colder water temperatures mean that algae do not grow.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Torridge and West Devon

Mr Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to tackle bovine TB in Torridge and West Devon constituency; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: As outlined in a Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2015, the Government is taking strong action to deliver a long-term plan to eradicate the disease and protect the future of the UK’s dairy and beef industries. The comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls, improving biosecurity on farm and when trading, and badger control in areas where TB is rife. As part of the strategy the Government wants to see badger control over a wider number of areas in line with the UK Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice.

Floods

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of additional algae in river and pond systems since the recent flooding in England on those systems; and what information her Department holds on levels of toxins produced by algae in those systems and their effect on the marine environment.

Rory Stewart: The Environment Agency assesses the presence of algae in the spring, summer and autumn as this is when algae can become a nuisance to people and nature.The recent floods will have flushed nutrients from agricultural land and urban drainage systems into rivers and lakes. Much of this increased nutrient loading washes down into estuaries and coastal waters. Since the flooding has occurred in winter months, when algae are not growing, there is unlikely to be an immediate effect. Sunny and hot conditions may lead to a higher number of blooms but this will depend on the weather in the spring and summer months.The Environment Agency and Cefas will also monitor in response to reports of toxic algal blooms at any time of year. They hold data on the levels of toxins in samples from affected sites, which inform management action. Where toxins pose a risk to the quality of shellfish, to recreational or other users of waters, this can result in closure of shellfisheries or action to warn the public about the hazards.

Floods: Insurance

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that small businesses can access flood insurance.

Rory Stewart: While we recognise the difficult challenges that some small businesses could face in accessing commercial flood insurance in areas of high flood risk, we are not currently aware of evidence that there is a systemic problem. Therefore, we have committed to work with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and other interested parties to monitor the insurance market for small businesses. We are keen to work across government, and with a range of business interests, to better understand the nature and extent of any problem that might exist.The ABI have assured us that the insurance industry will continue to provide insurance to small businesses on a competitive basis.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to secure alternative supplies of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine for the purpose of preventing the spread of tuberculosis in the badger population (a) through the EDGE Scheme and (b) in other ways.

George Eustice: The only Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine authorised for use in badgers in the UK is produced by a single Danish manufacturer. Following advice from Public Health England on the need to prioritise available stocks for humans, the Government has taken the decision to suspend attempts to source BCG vaccine for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme and other private badger vaccination deployment projects in England until the supply situation is resolved. This follows the decision of the Welsh Government to do the same. Our long-term research to develop an oral TB vaccine for badgers and an effective TB vaccine for cattle is not expected to be affected by the current supply issue.

Floods: Insurance

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with flood insurers on the launch of Flood Re in April 2016.

Rory Stewart: I chaired a Flood Re readiness meeting on 12 January with Flood Re, major insurers, and delivery partners. Officials have regular contact with Flood Re on preparations for the Scheme’s launch. Flood Re has given assurances that the Scheme is on track to start accepting policies from insurers in April 2016.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department and the Rural Payments Agency will issue partial payments to farmers that have not been paid by early February 2016.

George Eustice: In the past part payments has led to years of confusion for farmers and additional costs in processing and disallowance for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The RPA, therefore, will not be making partial payments but is instead focusing on paying all farmers as promptly as possible.As of 25 January the RPA had paid around 61,100 farmers.

Algae: Poole Harbour

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government will (a) fund or (b) conduct algal harvesting in order to improve water quality in Poole Harbour.

Rory Stewart: To improve the water quality in Poole Harbour, the Environment Agency focuses on improving nutrient and soil management efficiency of surrounding farmland rather than funding algal harvesting. A feasibility study commissioned by the Environment Agency has concluded that algal harvesting in Poole Harbour would have little material impact on the water quality in the harbour and that the harvesting process may have a detrimental impact on the bird population, with the costs outweighing the benefits.

Milk: Prices

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support milk producers in ensuring milk prices in supermarkets are maintained.

George Eustice: We support the farming industry by reducing red tape, funding research to foster innovation, extending the tax averaging period for self-employed farmers and working to open up new export markets.To provide some relief to hard-pressed farmers we secured a £26.6m aid package for the UK from the European Commission – the third largest of all Member States. Dairy farmers across the UK are being paid a one-off, flat rate payment linked to milk production. The majority of payments were made by the RPA on 16 November 2015.The Government is working with the food industry – including supermarkets, retailers, manufacturers and caterers – on even more consistent labelling and branding of British dairy products, improving transparency across the supply chain and allocating more space on shop shelves. This will make it easier for consumers and food businesses to know when they are buying British dairy products.A number of supermarkets have pledged to pay a premium over and above the current market price and we should welcome that. It won’t solve the problem but it will give some respite to farmers.

Flood Control: Farms

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to work with farmers and land owners in areas susceptable to flooding to encourage them to allow parts of their land to flood to avoid flooding elsewhere.

Rory Stewart: Temporarily storing flood water on agricultural land can be a cost effective way of reducing risks elsewhere in a catchment, and where such schemes are planned, farmers/landowners are paid to store flood water on their land in a managed way, with payments being made to offset the damages caused by additional deliberate flooding that forms a part of the flood management scheme.

Flood Control: Hill Farming

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the use of upland management schemes in areas susceptible to flooding as a method of flood prevention.

Rory Stewart: Land management change can have important benefits in reducing flood risk. We will encourage any measures that could help manage flood risk, for example management of our peat uplands and planting trees to slow the flow at the same time as providing wider environmental benefits within catchments. Flood risk management is also one of the targeting criteria for woodland creation funded through the new Countryside Stewardship scheme and the Forestry Commission also continues to undertake research into understanding what role woodlands can play in managing flood risk.

Department of Health

Lung Cancer: Drugs

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the effects of nivolumab on one year survival rates for lung cancer.

George Freeman: Nivolumab is currently marketed in the European Union under the brand name Opdivo.The data available when Opdivo was licensed in 2015 indicated overall survival among patients given the product was around nine months, whereas among the patients given docetaxel, another cancer medicine, it was six months.

Cervical Cancer: Health Education

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to support Cervical Cancer Awareness Week on 24 to 30 January 2016.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take in response to recommendation 15 of the Independent Cancer Taskforce report, Achieving world-class cancer outcomes; a strategy for England 2015-2020, published in July 2015, on the use of awareness campaigns to improve uptake of screening programmes for cervical and other cancers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to address falling cervical cancer screening rates among women in age groups (a) 25 to 29 and (b) 60 to 64.

Jane Ellison: Ministers welcome and support cervical cancer prevention week. We are fully supportive of the work Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust does to raise awareness of cervical cancer and the importance of cervical screening for eligible women. The Department and Public Health England will be promoting cervical cancer prevention week on social media.Information on cervical screening is available on the NHS Choices website:http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cervical-screening-test/Pages/Introduction.aspxThere are no plans for a Be Clear on Cancer campaign on cervical cancer.A number of factors are taken into account when deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with one of the main criteria being the scope to save lives through earlier diagnosis and whether the cancer has a clear early sign or symptom that the general public can act upon should it arise.Cancer screening programmes in England write to every eligible women giving information about the screening programme and the condition it aims to detect early. Additionally information is produced for the national and regional media and general practitioners raising awareness.NHS England closely monitors the coverage rates for cervical screening in all age groups and is committed to increasing uptake and reducing variation across England. Local NHS England commissioners analyse coverage rates within their area and work with general practices to improve uptake by sharing best practice. For example, commissioners in London have developed a screening uptake and coverage strategy and delivery plan, including:- increased public awareness and engagement with screening programmes across all communities; and- increased engagement with primary care and improved reliability of data.In addition to this:- a primary care cancer screening best practice guide has been developed jointly with the transforming cancer services team, clinical commissioning groups and local authority public health representatives; and- Imperial College is conducting a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of texting non-responders on improving coverage and uptake.To increase rates of cervical screening in young women, the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake amongst women who are receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The study began in November 2011 and reports can be expected in spring 2016.In addition, the Department’s Behavioural Insight team is developing a trial to investigate the use of behavioural insights to optimise the content of the invitation letter for cervical screening.

Incontinence

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with urinary incontinence in each clinical commissioning group area in each of the last five years; and what the cost was of treating that condition in each such area in each such year.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold information on the number of people admitted to hospital for urinary incontinence.A count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of urinary incontinence, by clinical commissioning group of residence, 2010-11 to 2014-15 is provided in the attached table.The costs to the National Health Service of treating people with urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence is not available centrally.Such information as is available is from reference costs, which are the average unit costs of providing defined services to patients. Reference costs for acute care are published by Healthcare Resource Group (HRG), which are standard groupings of similar treatments that use similar resources. For example, costs relating to kidney or urinary tract interventions are assigned to the same HRGs.Table: Estimated total costs of kidney or urinary tract interventions and urinary incontinence or other urinary problems reported by NHS trusts and foundation trusts, 2010-11 to 2014-15 (£ millions)Kidney or urinary tract interventionsUrinary incontinence or other urinary problems2010-11370.528.22011-12398.928.12012-13432.427.82013-14464.828.32014-15506.527.6Source: Reference costs, Department of Health



Clinical commissioning group table
(Word Document, 49.3 KB)

Incontinence

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were admitted to hospital for falls and fractures associated with urinary incontinence in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the NHS was of treating people so admitted in each such year.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold information on the number of people admitted to hospital for falls and fractures associated with urinary incontinence and related costs.

Urinary System: Diseases

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were admitted to hospital for catheter-associated urinary tract infections in each of the last five years; and what the cost was of treating those people.

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with urinary incontinence in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the NHS was of treating that condition in each such year.

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were admitted to hospital for urinary tract infections in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the NHS was of treating people so admitted in each such year.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold information on the number of people admitted to hospital for a catheter-associated urinary tract infection, urinary tract infection or urinary incontinence.The following table shows a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) in the last five years with a primary diagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infections.YEARFAEs2010-112152011-122942012-134472013-146412014-15942The following table shows a count of FAEs in the last five years with a primary diagnosis of urinary incontinence in England.YearFAEs2010-1127,7972011-1226,7512012-1324,9382013-1423,4982014-1520,969The following table shows a count of FAEs in the last five years with a primary diagnosis of urinary tract infection in EnglandYEARFAEs2010-11168,5812011-12174,8182012-13184,9242013-14187,5942014-15195,282Source: Hospital episode statistics (HES), Health and social care information centre Notes:A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period.The primary diagnosis provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.The costs to the National Health Service of treating people with urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence is not available centrally.Such information as is available is from reference costs, which are the average unit costs of providing defined services to patients. Reference costs for acute care are published by Healthcare Resource Group (HRG), which are standard groupings of similar treatments that use similar resources. For example, costs relating to kidney or urinary tract interventions are assigned to the same HRGs.Table: Estimated total costs of kidney or urinary tract interventions and urinary incontinence or other urinary problems reported by NHS trusts and foundation trusts, 2010-11 to 2014-15 (£ millions)Kidney or urinary tract interventionsUrinary incontinence or other urinary problems2010-11370.528.22011-12398.928.12012-13432.427.82013-14464.828.32014-15506.527.6Source: Reference costs, Department of Health

Mental Illness

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will engage with the #itaffectsme campaign on raising awareness of mental health issues.

Alistair Burt: The Government is working to reduce stigma around mental health, and supports all campaigns, including #itaffectsme, in this area.Any campaign, such as #itaffectsme, which raises awareness in mental health issues, is welcomed. In a speech announcing almost a billion pounds in investment into mental health services on 11 January, the Prime Minister recognised the need to take away the stigma behind mental illness. He said that, ‘as a country, we need to be far more mature about this. Less hushed tones, less whispering; more frank and open discussion. We need to take away that shame, that embarrassment, let people know that they’re not in this alone’. We continue to provide financial support to the Time to Change programme which works to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and to encourage people to talk about mental health issues and seek help when needed. We are working with the programme and funders to develop the next stage of the programme.

Mental Health Services: Pregnant Women

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 23676, when the work being undertaken by Health Education England and NHS England to which he refers will be completed.

Alistair Burt: The additional significant investment in perinatal mental health totaling £350 million from 2016/17- 2020/21, together with the recommendations of the forthcoming report of the independent Mental Health Taskforce, will enable NHS England to design a broader five year transformation programme to build capacity and capability in specialist perinatal mental health services, with the aim of enabling women in all areas of England to access care that is in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines by 2020/21.Work is underway to lay the foundations for this longer-term work through targeted funding of activities to build capacity in specialist services. This will include, for example, a £1 million investment in strengthening clinical networks across the country. It is also expected to include developing clinical leadership capacity and training for the perinatal workforce to build the skills and capabilities within specialist teams.NHS England will work with partners, including Health Education England, over the coming months, to develop the five year programme for improving specialist perinatal mental health services.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients: Personal Property

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which organisation is responsible for the personal property of people detained under the Mental Health Act 2007.

Alistair Burt: Individuals over the age of 18 who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, and who have the mental capacity to do so, can appoint an attorney to make decisions about their property and affairs, including financial matters.Attorneys or deputies may also be appointed under the Mental Capacity Act to make decisions in relation to the property or affairs of a person subject to the Act who lacks capacity. In these situations, the Court of Protection will appoint an individual or authority to perform this role.

Fathers: Suicide

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many men take their own lives in the first year after the birth of their child.

Alistair Burt: We do not collect this information centrally.

Social Services: Veterans

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to amend social care charging guidance so that compensation awarded to military veterans injured before 6 April 2005 is fully disregarded from financial assessments for support.

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that injured military veterans do not have to pay social care costs out of their military compensation; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Armed forces veterans injured in service receive payments either through the War Disablement Pension (WDP) or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). The AFCS applies to veterans injured from 6 April 2005. These payments are divided into a personal injury compensation element and other payments. Traditionally, only the personal injury compensation payment has been fully disregarded.Since October 2012 Guaranteed Income Payments made to veterans under the AFCS have been disregarded. The Department has been in discussion with the Royal British Legion about how WDP payments are treated. Currently the first £10 per week of WDP payments is disregarded. The Government is considering how WDP payments to veterans should be treated in the financial assessment for social care charging in future.

Health Services: Harrow

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assistance his Department has offered to Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group to help it avoid its projected deficit of £116.4 million by 2018-19; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We are advised by NHS England that the projected deficit figure for 2018/19 dates from November 2013, and was included in a potential “downside case” modelled as part of Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) sustainability plan which was submitted to NHS England.We understand that the sustainability plan also included an “upside case” and a “mid case” and that all three cases were modelled according to varying projected levels of Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) savings.The joint financial strategy agreed with the seven other CCGs in north-west London, combined with higher than average growth in allocations and delivery of its QIPP programme, has enabled Harrow CCG to improve its financial performance, as a result of which it is now reporting a surplus of £2 million for 2015/16.For 2014/15, Harrow CCG received one of the highest funding increases in the country, amounting to 4.2% on the previous year. For 2015/16, the CCG received another above average increase in allocation and will receive a funding increase of 6% in 2016/17, compared to an average CCG growth figure in London of 3.6%.

Colorectal Cancer: Screening

Mr John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were (a) eligible and (b) participated in the bowel cancer screening programme in (i) England and (ii) each of that programme's five hubs and (iii) each of the 63 screening centres included in that programme in 2014-15.

Jane Ellison: The National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening programme is a biennial programme. Coverage data is reported for a preceding two year cohort in arrears.Roll out of the NHS Bowel screening programme began in 2006 and completed in 2010 offering men and women aged 60-69 the opportunity to be screened. The programme then extended the screening age to 70-74 however this was not fully rolled out until 2014.The data on eligibility and uptake is yet to be published. At the end of January 2015, nearly 25 million Faecal Occult Blood test kits had been sent out to men and women aged 60-74 to self-sample at home. Over 15 million kits have been returned by post to one of five regional labs (programme hubs).Since the programme began in 2006, over 21,000 cancers have been detected and over 122,000 patients have been managed for polyps, including polyp removal.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Michelle Donelan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what grounds the discharge of youths from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is based on school years rather than date of birth; and if he will change the basis for discharge from CAMHS.

Alistair Burt: There is no central requirement for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to use a school year rather than age as a threshold for transition.In December 2014 and January 2015, NHS England published new service specifications for commissioners, giving guidance and best practice on transition from CAMHS to adult services (or elsewhere). These specifications intentionally do not stipulate an age threshold for transition but states that transition should be built around the needs of the individual, not focussed on age.The Future in mind report recognised that transition at aged 18 years of age is not always appropriate and that there should be flexibility around age boundaries, in which transition is based on individual circumstances, rather than absolute age, with joint working and shared practice between services to promote continuity of care.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Education

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department and its executive agencies spent on advertising to promote awareness of the health risks associated with alcohol in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: Spend on advertising is defined as covering only media spend (inclusive of agency commissions but excluding production costs, Central Office of Information commission and VAT).In reference to the Department’s media spend on advertising to promote awareness of the health risks associated with alcohol, spend is set out below:Financial YearExpenditure2010-11£02011-12£980,0002012-13£1,840,000Public Health England (PHE) took over responsibility for public health campaigns formerly run by the Department on 1 April 2013. Although there was no advertising spend in 2013-14, other marketing activity would have taken place. For example: the publication and distribution of leaflets and the maintenance of the website. In 2014-15, in addition to this activity, PHE allocated £530,000 of media spend on advertising.All figures are rounded to the nearest £10,000.

Organs: Donors

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people from BAME communities registered to become organ donors in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of trends in such registration.

Jane Ellison: Organ Donation Rate figures for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic registrations for the last five years are listed below:EthnicityFinancial yearWhiteAsianBlackChineseMixedOtherNot statedTotal2011/12161,3678,5622,0225373,203607911,5091,087,8072012/13228,9665,5641,7095273,622678755,90799,69732013/14212,3336,7761,9385773,663792820,1931,046,2722014/15204,5466,7641,8915983,593860741,993960,2452015/16 (1 April 2015 - 27 January 2016)352,4559,2103,0129776,2151,78057,3872947,521Total1,159,66736,87610,5723,21620,2964,7173,803,47450,38,818 Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020: A UK Strategy, launched in 2013, aims to achieve world class performance in organ donation and transplantation. It was developed by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHBST) and the four United Kingdom Health Departments.To achieve these aims, NHSBT has developed a behaviour change communication strategy and have a wide range of leaflets promoting organ donation that are translated into a number of different languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.NHSBT has also promoted the need for more sign ups from black communities to the Organ Donation Register (ODR), during campaigns such as the ‘Be There’ initiative during Black History Month – which encouraged ODR registrations from the Black African, Black Caribbean and Black mixed race communities.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will discuss with his counterparts in the devolved administrations steps to ensure that programmes such as Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies can be implemented across the UK.

Alistair Burt: We have no specific plans at present for a Ministerial meeting on the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, but Departmental officials are in regular contact with colleagues in the Devolved Administrations on cross-cutting issues.

Blood: Contamination

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on establishing ex gratia financial support for people who were affected prior to 1991 by (a) HIV and (b) hepatitis C over the last 12 months.

Jane Ellison: The Government launched its consultation on proposals to reform the current payment schemes for those affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through National Health Service-supplied blood/blood products on 21 January 2016.The consultation can be accessed on the gov.uk website:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/infected-blood-reform-of-financial-and-other-support

Junior Doctors: Training

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of junior doctors have taken a break from NHS training after completing their foundation year in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Ben Gummer: The information requested is contained in the report F2 Career Destination Report 2015 - (Table 5), which is available from the UK Foundation Programme Office website.The UK Foundation Programme Office collects data and produces reports annually on behalf of Health Education England and the devolved nations which show intended career destinations of second year foundation doctors who have completed their foundation training across the United Kingdom.Whilst the survey is a fairly accurate predictor of the destination of doctors who have completed foundation training the figures are not intended to be an accurate employment record, and are based on individual responses of those surveyed and therefore could be subject to change.

Medicine: Education

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people applied to study medicine at university in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Ben Gummer: Information on the number of applications to English universities by cycle year is available on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service website in the document:DR3_031_03 Applications by detailed subject group and provider country

NHS: Logos

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many companies have been ordered by the NHS Identity Team to stop using the NHS logo in the last three years.

George Freeman: Over the last three years, approximately 250 companies have been informed by the NHS Identity team that they are not permitted to use the National Health Service logo.

NHS: Logos

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues to pharmacy services on sending direct mail marketing to customers and targeting potential customers using the NHS logo.

Alistair Burt: Pharmacy services are bound by the NHS Identity guidelines at:http://www.nhsidentity.nhs.uk/all-guidelines/guidelines/pharmacy/introduction

NHS: Logos

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines are issued by the NHS Identity Team on the use of the NHS logo (a) on stationery used by pharmacy services and (b) in direct marketing mail.

Alistair Burt: Pharmacy services are bound by the NHS Identity guidelines at:http://www.nhsidentity.nhs.uk/all-guidelines/guidelines/pharmacy/introduction

Thalidomide

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the total beneficiaries from the Thalidomide Health Grants in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from thalidomide survivors' groups; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Thalidomide Health Grants are currently for 10 years from 2012 to 2022.They total £80 million in England, £14.2 million in Scotland, £7.5 million in Wales and £4.6 million in Northern Ireland. The Thalidomide Trust administer the Health Grants and the number of beneficiaries receiving the Grants since their inception is set out in the following table.My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (George Freeman) MP, had an introductory meeting with representatives from the Thalidomide Trust and its National Advisory Councilon 22 October last year. Country2012201320142015England325325325325Scotland58555455Wales30313131Northern Ireland19191919Total432430429430

NHS: Logos

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the NHS Identity Team monitors and enforces (a) direct marketing mail from and (b) other activities of a company which has been ordered to stop using the NHS logo on its stationery.

George Freeman: Where new cases of misuse of the National Health Service logo are either uncovered by the NHS Identity team or brought to their attention by the public or NHS staff, the NHS Identity team contact the company concerned, setting out the corrective action needed, progressing it through to completion. Where the NHS Identity team has informed a company to stop using the NHS logo, they request a revised copy of any materials in question and review resources, such as websites, to ensure that the logo has been removed.

Ambulance Services: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths were recorded of (a) patients awaiting the arrival of an ambulance and (b) patients in an ambulance from the London Ambulance Service area in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: The information is not available in the format requested.

Prescriptions

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the five most common types of medication prescription were which were issued in (a) England, (b) London and (c) each London borough in each year since 2010.

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions were issued for medication in each London borough in each year since 2010.

Alistair Burt: Information is provided on the number of prescription items dispensed and is available by health organisations but not by local authorities.Table 1: Five most commonly dispensed medicines, by chemical name, in England and London, based on the number of prescription items written, in the community, within England and London, and dispensed within the United Kingdom, from 2011 to November 2015 1YearEnglandNumber (000’s)London 2Number (000’s)2011Simvastatin41,133.9Simvastatin4,878.2Aspirin32,338.1Aspirin3,504.9Levothyroxine Sodium24,958.6Amlodipine3,057.7Omeprazole23,199.6Ramipril2,554.2Ramipril22,435.0Levothyroxine Sodium2,543.62012Simvastatin42,616.8Simvastatin5,032.6Aspirin31,696.8Aspirin3,456.4Levothyroxine Sodium26,651.4Amlodipine3,283.2Omeprazole25,695.9Omeprazole2,724.6Ramipril23,819.7Levothyroxine Sodium2,720.72013Simvastatin39,827.5Simvastatin4,578.7Aspirin30,818.0Amlodipine3,481.7Levothyroxine Sodium27,693.5Aspirin3,403.7Omeprazole27,218.9Omeprazole2,870.7Ramipril24,921.9Levothyroxine Sodium2,864.22014Simvastatin37,743.5Simvastatin4,266.2Aspirin29,762.6Amlodipine3,675.1Omeprazole28,743.0Aspirin3,359.6Levothyroxine Sodium28,731.0Omeprazole3,042.8Ramipril25,933.6Colecalciferol3,030.82015 (January–November) 1Simvastatin31,417.4Simvastatin3,528.2Omeprazole27,309.2Amlodipine3,481.8Levothyroxine Sodium26,992.5Atorvastatin3,286.4Aspirin25,549.4Colecalciferol2,945.8Atorvastatin24,507.8Aspirin2,939.5Source: Prescribing Analysis and Cost tool (PACT) system, maintained by NHS Prescription ServicesNotes:1 Information is provided by calendar year from 2011; data for 60 months is held at any one time and figures for the whole of 2010 are unavailable. Information for 2015 contains data from January to November 2015, inclusive; information is not yet available for December 2015.2 part (b) of the question is interpreted as a single combined figure for all London primary care trusts/clinical commissioning groups. Table 2: Number of prescription items written, in the community, in London and dispensed within the UK, from 2011 to November 2015 1YearNumber (000)’s2011111,797.22012115,913.52013119,035.02014123,556.62015 (January–November) 1114,425.4Source: Prescribing Analysis and Cost tool (PACT) system, maintained by NHS Prescription ServicesNotes:1 Information is provided by calendar year from 2011; data for 60 months is held at any one time and figures for the whole of 2010 are unavailable. Information for 2015 contains data from January to November 2015, inclusive; information is not yet available for December 2015.